Xref: utzoo comp.lang.lisp:3625 comp.lang.scheme:1654 Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!occrsh!uokmax!apple!snorkelwacker!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!sics.se!sics!soder From: soder@nmpcad.se (Hakan Soderstrom) Newsgroups: comp.lang.lisp,comp.lang.scheme Subject: Re: Virtues of Lisp syntax Message-ID: Date: 11 Sep 90 12:18:59 GMT References: <1990Aug26.205018.18067@cbnewsc.att.com> <1350028@otter.hpl.hp.com> <3368@skye.ed.ac.uk> Sender: news@sics.se Organization: nmp Lines: 29 In-Reply-To: jeff@aiai.ed.ac.uk's message of 5 Sep 90 18:07:59 GMT The syntax of Lisp is about the same as the syntax of Assembler: it doesn't exactly stop you from doing what you want, but it doesn't help either. Almost all kinds of errors appear as run time errors. Jeff Dalton writes, >My view is just the opposite. It's fortunate that a readable >external syntax can correspond so closely to a flexible, easily >manipulated data structure. Yes, this is the crux of the matter. It also means that the syntax is a compromise between machine readability and human readability. Because it was designed in the 60's, there is a bias towards machine readability. You help the compiler build its data structure. Goodness. I promised never to enter a syntax argument again ... it is one of those sure-to-flame topics. But it is fun! And where would we be without Lisp? - Hakan -- ---------------------------------------------------- Hakan Soderstrom Phone: +46 (8) 752 1138 NMP-CAD Fax: +46 (8) 750 8056 P.O. Box 1193 E-mail: soder@nmpcad.se S-164 22 Kista, Sweden