The ISPL Language Specifications

R. M. Balzer

ResearchPublished 1971

The syntax and semantics of the Incremental System Programming Language (ISPL), designed for use on its own computer, the ISPL machine (described in R-562). Together, the language and the machine provide a complete programming laboratory environment. The syntax used to describe ISPL is APAREL (described in RM-5611), which is similar to BNF but allows imbedded alternatives. ISPL is incrementally compiled, resembles PL/I, and allows hierarchical systems to be built by providing capabilities for scheduling core and central processing unit resources, interrupt handling, and interprocess communication. Ports, the new interprocess communication facility (described in R-605), enables communication between a program and the files, terminals, physical devices, and monitor programs. Extensive debugging facilities include dynamic record verification of all pointers. The language specifically includes the facilities needed by the control program, and the machine provides many of the facilities normally implemented in software. The file system is described in R-603. (See also R-622.)

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Balzer, R. M., The ISPL Language Specifications. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1971. https://www.rand.org/pubs/reports/R0563.html.
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