Setting up ASDF for CLISP+Win32

It took me quite a while to figure this out so I assume that others are having troubles with it as well. It all makes sense and is quite easy once you know how but then so's almost everything!

1. Download CLISP and install it.
   
2. Download ASDF (Thanks Cliki for the ASDF link) and save it somewhere. I saved it in the root of the CLISP install directory.
   
3. Choose a location for your ASDF Registry. I created an asdfs directory within the CLISP directory. Just keep these locations in mind when you next upgrade CLISP.
   
4. For each ASDF capable library you have downloaded, create a shortcut to it's .asd file or files and put the shortcut in the ASDF registry directory.
   
5. Make sure all the shortcuts have the same filename as the .asd they point to i.e. remove the "Shortcut to"
   
6. Run Clisp.
   
7. Find out where CLISP expects to find its initialization files:

   (user-homedir-pathname)

   It is probably your Documents and Settings\\Username directory but it doesn't hurt to check.
   
8. Create a file called .clisprc.lisp in the directory discovered in the previous step.
   
9. Put the following in the .clisprc.lisp file:
   

   (load "path-to-asdf.lisp")
   (push "path-to-asdf-registry" asdf:*central-registry*)

   
   
10. You should now be able to run clisp and do:
    

    (asdf:oos 'asdf:load-op 'Whatever-you-want)

    
    

Pretty easy, huh? Let me know where the mistakes are and if you think there are any resources that could benefit from this, let me know or just cut and paste it!

No-IP

How can you reliably serve anything to the internet without a static IP address. You can't, right? Wrong.

I was trying to find a way to use my dhcp powered residential internet connection to run an an ftp server or any other kind of server for that matter. I spoke to my provider and was informed that I would have to pay an extra $20 per month for a static IP. This pretty much doubles the cost of the connection. Now why would I do a thing like that? I wouldn't but luckily for me I did a little research before I gave up on the idea.

I found that there are a number of services that allow you to forward a domain name of your choice to any IP you like. They even provide a utility that will keep your IP up to date when your ISP forcibly re-provisions you. I think that's very cool indeed and what's more, if you use No-IP.com it's free. Even if you, by some chance, have a static IP it's still a very useful, and free, service. Oh yeah and the auto-update software runs on Linux, Mac and Windows.

I am in no way affiliated with No-IP.com I just think they are cool.