Re: [PATCH] Elpa: Pinpoint semantics of `seq-subseq' for streams

[John Mastro <john.b.mastro@gmail.com>]

Clément Pit--Claudel <clement.pit@gmail.com> wrote:
> Let me try to summarize it in a different way. In the stream case, you
> build one cons cell at a time, and every time you build a new cons
> cell the previous one is available for garbage collection. With a good
> GC, there's only a few cells physically present in memory at any time
> (plus the memory it takes to keep the last "n" elements, if you're
> desired output is the n-elements tail of the stream).
>
> In the list case, on the other hand, the full list exists in memory
> before you iterate on it. Sure, after you iterate on it, the list can
> be garbage collected; but before you iterate on it, all the cons cells
> need to exist at the same time.

Ah, it indeed makes sense now - thanks!

        John