Computer Dictionary of Information Technology

St Andrews Static Language

(SASL) A functional programming language designed by Professor David Turner in 1976 whilst at St. Andrews University. SASL is a derivative of ISWIM with infinite data structures. It is fully lazy but weakly typed. It was designed for teaching functional programming, with very simple syntax.

Example syntax:

	def fac n =
	   n = 0 -> 1 ; n x fac(n-1)

A version of the expert system EMYCIN has been written in SASL.

SASL was originally known as "St Andrews Standard Language". Not to be confused with SISAL.

ftp://a.cs.uiuc.edu/uiuc/kamin.distr/distr/sasl.p. See also Kamin's interpreters.

["A New Implementation Technique for Applicative Languages", D.A. Turner, Soft Prac & Exp 8:31-49 (1979)].