10.3 Implementation

The VLISP interpreter has proven to be a powerful, convenient, and flexible programming environment very well suited for highly dynamic applications. As a prototype development tool, it probably has no peer. For industrial applications, though, two drawbacks can be identified, which potentially limit the widespread use of VLISP-based applications:

1. The general reluctance of most people not familiar with LISP and LISP-like syntax to get involved with the language.
2. The fact that, in comparison to a compiled language, consistency checks automatically applicable to the body of code loaded by applications are limited in their effectiveness and number.

Although these drawbacks are more than compensated for by the flexibility and ease of use during code developing stages, the production use of the VISTA/SFC simulation environment might gain considerably in long-term stability from using compiled versions of critical modules and routines.