[W/K] :: Prolog

  Prolog \Pro"log\, n. & v.
     Prologue.
     [1913 Webster]

  PROLOG \PRO"LOG\ (pr[=o]"l[o^]g), n. (Computers)
     A declarative higher-level programming language in which
     instructions are written not as explicit procedural
     data-manipulation commands, but as logical statements. The
     language has built-in resolution procedures for logical
     inference.
     [PJC]

  higher programming language \higher programming language\ n.
     (Computers)
     A computer programming language with an instruction set
     allowing one instruction to code for several assembly
     language instructions.
  
     Note: The aggregation of several assembly-language
           instructions into one instruction allows much greater
           efficiency in writing computer programs. Most programs
           are now written in some higher programming language,
           such as BASIC, FORTRAN, COBOL, C, C++,
           PROLOG, or JAVA.
           [PJC]

  Prolog
       n : a computer language designed in Europe to support natural
           language processing [syn: logic programing, logic
           programming]

  PROLOG
       PROgramming in LOGic
       
       

  Prolog
       
           Programming in Logic or (French) Programmation
          en Logique.  The first of the huge family of logic
          programming languages.
       
          Prolog was invented by Alain Colmerauer and Phillipe Roussel
          at the University of Aix-Marseille in 1971.  It was first
          implemented 1972 in ALGOL-W.  It was designed originally for
          natural-language processing but has become one of the most
          widely used languages for artificial intelligence.
       
          It is based on LUSH (or SLD) resolution theorem
          proving and unification.  The first versions had no
          user-defined functions and no control structure other than the
          built-in depth-first search with backtracking.  Early
          collaboration between Marseille and Robert Kowalski at
          University of Edinburgh continued until about 1975.
       
          Early implementations included C-Prolog, ESLPDPRO,
          Frolic, LM-Prolog, Open Prolog, SB-Prolog, UPMAIL
          Tricia Prolog.  In 1998, the most common Prologs in use are
          Quintus Prolog, SICSTUS Prolog, LPA Prolog, SWI
          Prolog, AMZI Prolog, SNI Prolog.
       
          ISO draft standard at Darmstadt, Germany
          (ftp://ftp.th-darmstadt.de/pub/programming/languages/prolog/standard/).
          or ftp://ai.uga.edu/ai.prolog.standard).html">UGA, USA (ftp://ai.uga.edu/ai.prolog.standard).
       
          See also negation by failure, Kamin's interpreters,
          Paradigms of AI Programming, Aditi.
       
          A Prolog interpreter in Scheme.
          ftp://cpsc.ucalgary.ca/pub/prolog1.1).html">(ftp://cpsc.ucalgary.ca/pub/prolog1.1).
       
          A Prolog package
          (ftp://cpsc.ucalgary.ca/pub/prolog1.1/prolog11.tar.Z) from
          the University of Calgary features delayed goals and
          interval arithmetic.  It requires Scheme with
          continuations.
       
          ["Programming in Prolog", W.F. Clocksin & C.S. Mellish,
          Springer, 1985].
       
          (2001-04-01)
       
       

  Prolog++
       
          (After C++) Prolog with object-oriented features added
          by Phil Vasey of Logic Programming Associates.  Prolog++ is
          available for MS-DOS and the X Window System.  It is
          distributed by AI International Ltd. in England and by
          Quintus.