() 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
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