In Maclisp, there was an "autoload" property, which, when detected when trying to execute a function, would load a file and then attempt to re-execute the function. It was a kind of software "page fault". But this is a somewhat different concept from provide/require. At 02:10 PM 2/27/2012, Robert Smith wrote:

Essentially, I am looking for early uses of things equivalent to PROVIDE and REQUIRE. That is, some file or module or system provides X, which can be required (and cause loading to occur) by Y.

Did this functionality exist before Common Lisp? Or were dependencies just handled with LOAD?

The question arises from a friend of mine.

-Robert

On 2/27/2012 3:06 PM, Henry Baker wrote:

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I think that the basic ideas for these "module"-type features come from languages like Modula, etc. They also found their way into the Ada language. I think that CMU was one of the hotbeds of interest in this sort of thing back in the 1970's.

Perhaps you could provide a bit more detail about exactly what you're looking for?

At 01:43 PM 2/27/2012, Robert Smith wrote:

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Hey all. Computing history question.

What's the earliest instance of PROVIDE and REQUIRE functionalities provided in languages today?

Common Lisp uses *FEATURES* with PROVIDE and REQUIRE. Emacs Lisp the same. I am wondering if it comes any earlier, especially with Lisp implementations.

Thanks,

Robert

P.S., if you can make this math related, you get my good graces.