Re: Differences between Elisp and Lisp

[Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <lmi@gnus.org>]

"Stefan Monnier" <monnier+gnu.emacs.help/news/@flint.cs.yale.edu> writes:

>>>>>> "Lars" == Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <lmi@gnus.org> writes:
>> and dispatching functions based on type would be nice.
>
> Never heard that one.  What exactly would you like to see ?

The Common Lisp `defmethod' thingie.  Which is a part of CLOS, I
guess, but wouldn't have to be.  But one would need a type system.

(defmethod do-stuff ((arg string))
  ... do stuff with a string)

(defmethod do-stuff ((arg number))
  ... do stuff with a number)

And then one could just say (do-stuff whatever) here and there.

This is really just syntactical sugar on the "pattern"

(defun do-stuff (arg)
  (cond ((stringp arg)
         ... do stuff with a string)
        ((numberp arg)
         ... do stuff with a number)))

but it's really useful.  Especially when you're able to define your
own classes.  Er, types.

Perhaps eieio already provides this?
  
-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   larsi@gnus.org * Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen