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I've read many topics regarding this issue, but couldn't get it to an end. I want to be able to code in LISP on Mac, using Emacs and XLispStat. So far, I've installed Emacs with HomeBrew but I got stuck when installing XLispStat. Can someone detail the steps for doing this? I'll appreciate!

P.S.: This is the required installation for Lisp. If there is something easier to achieve on Mac, I'll try that as well!

Rainer Joswig
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linkyndy
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    `port install emacs slime sbcl` – SK-logic Mar 04 '13 at 15:37
  • What do you mean by "got stuck"? – uselpa Mar 04 '13 at 16:02
  • The best rated emacs port for the Mac seems to be http://emacsformacosx.com. – uselpa Mar 04 '13 at 16:03
  • @uselpa: I don't know how to install XLispStat. There are some commands in the INSTALL file, but I'm far from being a guru in command lines :) – linkyndy Mar 04 '13 at 16:03
  • @SK-logic: Can you further explain that command? :) – linkyndy Mar 04 '13 at 16:06
  • I've installed Emacs from your supplied URL, but how to run LISP code? :) – linkyndy Mar 04 '13 at 16:22
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    @linkyndy, it's a way to go with MacPorts. This command will install you everything you'd ever need for using Common Lisp. If you're on a HomeBrew, look for an equivalent. But I did not notice that you want XLispStat (and therefore, xlisp). It's pretty dead by now. Why would you want using it instead of, say, R? But, if you insist, follow this instructions: ftp://ftp.stat.umn.edu/pub/xlispstat/current/macintosh/README.MAC_OS_X – SK-logic Mar 04 '13 at 16:41
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    I would be surprised if XLispStat runs in a useful way on a Intel Mac running Mac OS X 10.8. – Rainer Joswig Mar 04 '13 at 16:42
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    My best advice is to listen to the advice of others-- in particular, SK-logic and Rainer. They both make good points regarding this question and on questions in general. If you really want to try to compile XLispStat for OS X, however, [this page](http://users.stat.umn.edu/~rend0020/computing/index.html) might help. At the very least, there are some comments there that might hint at what you are up against. – smt Mar 04 '13 at 16:50
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    Just out of curiosity, I've just managed to build X11 version of XLisp on Mac, with a bit of tweaks in the code. But still can't see how could it be useful. – SK-logic Mar 04 '13 at 16:56
  • Thank you very much for the responses. The reason why I need XLispStat is that it is required by my university, but since it is outdated, I'll go with some other options. You are saying Emacs + Slime, right? Oh, and is there a possibility to write the code is some normal text editor and compile it somehow in the terminal? – linkyndy Mar 04 '13 at 18:12

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I posted a similar answer on this question. Short version: your options for an OS X Lisp environment are LispBox, LispWorks personal (crippleware warning) or Emacs+SLIME via quicklisp/ELPA.

Since your comments imply that you're casting a pretty wide net for workable Common Lisp tools, I'll also mention that CLISP seems to be supported via various OS X ports/package managers and has a fairly comfortable REPL (you can, of course get the same in SBCL with Linedit).

EDIT: As Rainer and Vsevolod mention below, Clozure and MCLIDE also exist. I've used neither myself, so I can't give you any details (though Clozure has been recommended to me on multiple occasions).

Oh, and is there a possibility to write the code is some normal text editor and compile it somehow in the terminal?

Not in the way that I think you mean, but yes, you can write a .lisp file with Sublime or whatever, then sbcl your-file-here.lisp. Note that sbcl your-file-here.lisp starts a running Lisp instance with a REPL, and incurs all the overhead that implies. If you're dead set against Emacs, what you could do is run a REPL separately from your project directory, then just (load "file-you-changed.lisp") or (ql:quickload :your-project-name) every so often.

Community
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Inaimathi
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xlispstat can be compiled on Mac OS 10.8 and works perfectly fine. It needs a couple of little edits for the nitpicking compiler but works perfectly with XQuartz. The people who are telling you to use other systems don't know how well integrated xlispstat is for people doing numerical work.

user2267988
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    @SK-logic: Not to start a flamewar or anything, just as a matter of opinion: For anyone with a mathematical bent, lisp is much easier to use than R. I've never figured out how Tierney could give up on xlisp and go work on R. Different strokes ... – user2267988 Apr 10 '13 at 21:18