Re: What does the coding system nil mean?

[Oliver Scholz <alkibiades@gmx.de>]

Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

[...]
> Given the fact that the only empty list is nil, I don't find it too odd.
> As a former Schemer, I'd agree that it would make sense to introduce a real
> empty list constant and stop overloading the meaning of nil, but it's
> unlikely to happen.
[...]

I am aware that this topic is a bit delicate; but I always have been
curious and asking in either comp.lang.list or comp.lang.scheme would
probably mistakenly regarded as flame bait. But I'd like to get an
answer sine ira et studio:

Is this a matter of taste or does nil belonging to multiple data types
cause problems somewhere (debugging programs, compiler/intepreter
construction, whatever)?

    Oliver
-- 
8 Pluviôse an 212 de la Révolution
Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité!