An open-ended data representation model for EU_LISP

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to describe an open-ended type system for Lisp with explicit and full control of bit-level data representations. This description uses a reflective architecture based on a metatype facility. This low-level formalism solves the problem of an harmonious design of a class taxononomy inside a type system. A prototype for this framework has been written in Le-Lisp and is used to build the integrated type and object systems of the EU_LISP proposal.