OVERVIEW: Objective Caml is an implementation of the ML language, based on the Caml Light dialect extended with a complete class-based object system and a powerful module system in the style of Standard ML. Objective Caml comprises two compilers. One generates bytecode which is then interpreted by a C program. This compiler runs quickly, generates compact code with moderate memory requirements, and is portable to essentially any 32 or 64 bit Unix platform. Performance of generated programs is quite good for a bytecoded implementation: almost twice as fast as Caml Light 0.7. This compiler can be used either as a standalone, batch-oriented compiler that produces standalone programs, or as an interactive, toplevel-based system. The other compiler generates high-performance native code for a number of processors. Compilation takes longer and generates bigger code, but the generated programs deliver excellent performance, while retaining the moderate memory requirements of the bytecode compiler. The native-code compiler currently runs on the following platforms: Intel/AMD Pentium processors: PCs under Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, Windows, NextStep, Solaris 2, BeOS. PowerPC processors: PowerMacintosh under MacOS X and LinuxPPC, IBM RS6000 and PowerPC workstations under AIX 4.3 AMD64 (Opteron) processors: PCs under Linux. Alpha processors: Digital/Compaq/HP Alpha machines under Digital Unix/Compaq Tru64, Linux, NetBSD and OpenBSD. Sparc processors: Sun Sparc machines under Solaris 2, NetBSD, Linux Mips processors: SGI workstations and mainframes under IRIX 6 Intel IA64 processors: HP stations under Linux HP PA-RISC processors: HP 9000/700 under HPUX 10 Strong ARM processors: Corel Netwinder under Linux Other operating systems for the processors above have not been tested, but the compiler may work under other operating systems with little work. Before the introduction of objects, Objective Caml was known as Caml Special Light. Objective Caml is almost upwards compatible with Caml Special Light, except for a few additional reserved keywords that have forced some renaming of standard library functions. CONTENTS: Changes what's new with each release INSTALL instructions for installation INSTALL.MPW infos on the Macintosh MPW port of Objective Caml LICENSE license and copyright notice Makefile main Makefile README this file README.win32 infos on the MS Windows 98/ME/NT/2000 ports of O.Caml asmcomp/ native-code compiler and linker asmrun/ native-code runtime library boot/ bootstrap compiler bytecomp/ bytecode compiler and linker byterun/ bytecode interpreter and runtime system config/ autoconfiguration stuff debugger/ source-level replay debugger driver/ driver code for the compilers emacs/ Caml editing mode and debugger interface for GNU Emacs lex/ lexer generator maccaml/ the Macintosh GUI ocamldoc/ documentation generator otherlibs/ several external libraries parsing/ syntax analysis stdlib/ standard library tools/ various utilities toplevel/ interactive system typing/ typechecking utils/ utility libraries yacc/ parser generator COPYRIGHT: All files marked "Copyright INRIA" in this distribution are copyright 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (INRIA) and distributed under the conditions stated in file LICENSE. INSTALLATION: See the file INSTALL for installation instructions on Unix, Linux and MacOS X machines. For MS Windows, see README.win32. For the MacOS 7, 8, 9, see INSTALL.MPW. DOCUMENTATION: The Objective Caml manual is distributed in HTML, PDF, Postscript, DVI, and Emacs Info files. It is available on the World Wide Web, at http://caml.inria.fr/ AVAILABILITY: The complete Objective Caml distribution can be accessed through a Web browser at http://caml.inria.fr/ or by anonymous FTP: host: ftp.inria.fr directory: INRIA/caml-light KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH THE CAML COMMUNITY: There exists a mailing list of users of the Caml implementations developed at INRIA. The purpose of this list is to share experience, exchange ideas (and even code), and report on applications of the Caml language. Messages can be written in English or in French. The list has about 500 subscribers. Messages to the list should be sent to: caml-list@inria.fr If you wish to subscribe to this list, please send a message to: caml-list-request@inria.fr with the single word "subscribe" in the body of the message. Archives of the list are available on the World Wide Web at URL http://caml.inria.fr/ The Usenet news groups comp.lang.ml and comp.lang.functional also contains discussions about the ML family of programming languages, including Caml. BUG REPORTS AND USER FEEDBACK: Send your bug reports by E-mail to: caml-bugs@inria.fr or report them using the Web interface to the bug-tracking system at http://caml.inria.fr/bin/caml-bugs To be effective, bug reports should include a complete program (preferably small) that exhibits the unexpected behavior, and the configuration you are using (machine type, etc). You can also contact the implementors directly at caml@inria.fr.