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From: Thien-Thi Nguyen <ttn@gnu.org>
To: Damien Wyart <damien.wyart@free.fr>
Cc: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org
Subject: Re: why not "stripes" in: (let ((zebra 'stripes) ...  ; strings vs symbols?
Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2013 18:21:09 +0100	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <874n5qtfui.fsf@zigzag.favinet> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <52c172f4$0$2212$426a34cc@news.free.fr> (Damien Wyart's message of "Mon, 30 Dec 2013 14:19:47 +0100")

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() Damien Wyart <damien.wyart@free.fr>
() Mon, 30 Dec 2013 14:19:47 +0100

   I don't understand, the elisp reference says that strings are atoms:
   http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/eintr/Lisp-Atoms.html

   and that the only type not being an atom is the cons cell, and AFAIK,
   strings are not cons cells.

   As a quick test, evaling
   (atom "mystring")
   returns t.

Right.  Emacs knows only ‘atom’, but programmers know concepts beyond
those strict definitions.  That's why it's fun and confusing.  :-D

In this case, the tutorial is from one programmer to another, and i
imagine that if i were trying to communicate foundational concepts, i
would also choose an indivisible type (to start).  Calling it "atomic"
is simply ignorant post-facto rationalization of yet another programmer
trying to be concise and appear "wise" (hee hee).  Oh well, better luck
next time!

-- 
Thien-Thi Nguyen
   GPG key: 4C807502
   (if you're human and you know it)
      read my lisp: (responsep (questions 'technical)
                               (not (via 'mailing-list)))
                     => nil

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  parent reply	other threads:[~2013-12-30 17:21 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 22+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2013-12-29 14:23 why not "stripes" in: (let ((zebra 'stripes) ... ; strings vs symbols? Gregor Zattler
2013-12-29 16:00 ` Drew Adams
2013-12-30 11:24 ` Thien-Thi Nguyen
     [not found] ` <mailman.10682.1388402467.10748.help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org>
2013-12-30 13:19   ` Damien Wyart
2013-12-30 15:12     ` Drew Adams
2013-12-30 17:21     ` Thien-Thi Nguyen [this message]
2013-12-31 17:52   ` Emanuel Berg
     [not found] <mailman.10627.1388327081.10748.help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org>
2013-12-29 23:39 ` Emanuel Berg
2013-12-30 15:27 ` Barry Margolin
  -- strict thread matches above, loose matches on Subject: below --
2013-12-30 16:46 Rustom Mody
2014-01-01  4:53 ` Rustom Mody
2014-01-02  5:30   ` Rustom Mody
     [not found]   ` <mailman.10827.1388640687.10748.help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org>
2014-01-02 14:31     ` Emanuel Berg
2014-01-03  5:00       ` Yuri Khan
     [not found]       ` <mailman.10894.1388725210.10748.help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org>
2014-01-03 23:47         ` Emanuel Berg
     [not found] ` <mailman.10770.1388552064.10748.help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org>
2014-01-01 17:26   ` Emanuel Berg
     [not found] <mailman.10695.1388422033.10748.help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org>
2013-12-31 18:24 ` Emanuel Berg
2014-01-01  2:00   ` Evans Winner
2014-01-01 17:29     ` Emanuel Berg
2014-01-01 19:02       ` Emanuel Berg
2014-01-02  4:28         ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-02  4:39         ` Yuri Khan

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