Re: byte-opt.el addition - optimize list of compile-time constants

[Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>]

> In evidence for my position I would like to point out that it is silly
> for '(1 2 3 #'(lambda ...) 4 5 6) to mean something different than
> (list 1 2 3 #'(lambda ...) 4 5 6), and the byte compiler compiles the
> embedded lambda in the second case, so logically it ought to in the
> first case as well.

> Also, in Common Lisp the situation is clearly that the compiler _is_
> entitled to compile (function ...) wherever it finds it - Emacs Lisp
> is not the same thing, of course, but I see no reason for divergence
> here.

Note that the expression

     (list 1 2 (function (lambda () (with-current-buffer))))

can be rejected by the compiler (not enough arguments to the
with-current-buffer macro) whereas

     '(1 2 (function (lambda () (with-current-buffer))))

can't because it's just a quoted constant which just happens to look like
invalid code.


        Stefan