Announcing version 2.1 Lua, a language for extending applications

* What is Lua?
    Lua is a simple, yet powerful, language for extending applications.
    Lua has been developed by TeCGraf, the Computer Graphics Technology Group
    of PUC-Rio, the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
    Dozens of industrial products developed by TeCGraf use Lua.


* Some features of Lua
    + a simple, pascal-like, syntax;
    + powerful data description constructs (e.g., associative arrays);
    + user-controlled type constructors;
    + fallbacks for extending the meaning of the language in unconventional ways;
    + Lua programs are compiled into bytecodes, which are then interpreted to
        simulate a virtual machine;
    + portable, written in ANSI C.


* Availability
    ftp://ftp.icad.puc-rio.br/pub/lua/lua-2.1.tar.gz
    http://www.inf.puc-rio.br/projetos/roberto/lua.html


* Changes since version 1.1 (current version is 2.1)
    + object-oriented support;
    + fallbacks;
    + simplified syntax for tables;
    + many internal improvements.


* Installing
    To make, simply type domake.
    If make succeeds, you get an interpreter in ./bin/lua.
    The libraries are in ./lib. The include files are in ./include.
    You don't need the other directories for development.
    There is a reference manual in ./doc and tests in ./test.
    This distribution is biased towards SunOS 4 with gcc but it is simple to
    change the Makefiles for other systems.
    If you are running SunOs, type also "domake dynamic" to build shared
    libraries in ./lib.


* Legal matters
    Lua is not in the public domain; TeCGraf keeps its copyright. Nevertheless,
    Lua is freely available for academic purposes. For commercial purposes,
    please contact us.


* Contacting the authors
    Send your comments, bug reports and anything else to lhf@icad.puc-rio.br.
    Please send me email if you download Lua so that we can know how far it goes.


--
Luiz Henrique de Figueiredo email: lhf@icad.puc-rio.br
TeCGraf-Grupo de Tecnologia em Computacao Grafica, Dep. Informatica, PUC-Rio
Rua Marques de Sao Vicente 225 voice: +55 21 529-9424
22453-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil fax: +55 21 511-5645
--


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