The Definition of Standard ML - Revised [Paperback]

Robert Harper (Author), David MacQueen (Author), Robin Milner (Author), Mads Tofte (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 1997

Standard ML is a general-purpose programming language designed for large projects. This book provides a formal definition of Standard ML for the benefit of all concerned with the language, including users and implementers. Because computer programs are increasingly required to withstand rigorous analysis, it is all the more important that the language in which they are written be defined with full rigor.One purpose of a language definition is to establish a theory of meanings upon which the understanding of particular programs may rest. To properly define a programming language, it is necessary to use some form of notation other than a programming language. Given a concern for rigor, mathematical notation is an obvious choice. The authors have defined their semantic objects in mathematical notation that is completely independent of Standard ML.In defining a language one must also define the rules of evaluation precisely--that is, define what meaning results from evaluating any phrase of the language. The definition thus constitutes a formal specification for an implementation. The authors have developed enough of their theory to give sense to their rules of evaluation.The Definition of Standard ML is the essential point of reference for Standard ML. Since its publication in 1990, the implementation technology of the language has advanced enormously and the number of users has grown. The revised edition includes a number of new features, omits little-used features, and corrects mistakes of definition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robin Milner was Professor Emeritus of Computer Science at the University of Cambridge, UK, and Professor at the Informatics Forum in the University of Edinburgh.

Robert Harper is a Professor of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University.

David MacQueen is Professor of Computer Science at the University of Chicago.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press; revised edition edition (May 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262631814
• ISBN-13: 978-0262631815
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,043,465 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BECOME the language!, June 5, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Definition of Standard ML - Revised (Paperback)

To explain it in the words of the authors: "The keystone of the method [used to define Standard ML in this book], then, is a certain kind of assertion that takes the form B |- P => M and may be pronounced: 'Against the background B, the phrase P evaluates to the meaning M.' The formal purpose of this Definition is no more, and no less, than to decree exactly which assertions of this form are true."

Standard ML is a very powerful language because of the abilities it grants and the restrictions it enforces. While reading this book will not teach you SML, it will help reinforce its subtle elegance. If you have developed an infatuation with this language, you will not be able to resist the only book that truly contains it.

While not necessary to enjoy this volume, a prerequisite to have any understanding of its contents is some sort of background in type theory and mathematical logic that a course like this one taught by Harper... can only begin to provide.

And remember, ML loves you!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How language definitions should be done, June 17, 2007

By 

Eric McCorkle "CS Graduate Student" (Providence, RI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Definition of Standard ML - Revised (Paperback)

This book is a lesson to programming languages everywhere. The language definition is succinct, accurate, and to the point. Anyone who has attempted to penetrate such documents as the ANSI C or C++ standard is met with hundreds of pages of ambiguous, confusing language, about which formal reasoning is next to impossible. By contrast, this book describes the language syntax and semantics in a precise, mathematical style, making actual implementation of the language straightforward, as well as providing a usable definition for reasoning about the correctness of implementations. This is an example of how language definitions should be done.

1 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Cryptic, November 21, 2006

By 

Dennis Brown - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Definition of Standard ML - Revised (Paperback)

This book was apparently written by Math PHDs for use by Math PHDs. I found it to be pretty impenetrable. With this sort of language report, and the shortage of "how to" books for beginners, SML is probably doomed to obscurity, which is unfortunate.