[R6RS] issues in document/lex.tex

[Michael Sperber]

William D Clinger <will at ccs.neu.edu> writes:

> Mike wrote:
>> I'm not tied to the word "S-expression"---what was important to me was
>> to distinguish between the <datum> and the value that it represents.
>> The R5RS doesn't make that distinction.
>
> Searching the R5RS, it appears to me that <datum>
> always means an external representation, except for
> some fairly harmless abuse of the term in the
> descriptions of case expressions and the syntax of
> lists.

That's because R5RS punts on a precise description of the connection
between datums and external representations.  In the place where it
matters most, namely the description of `quote', the confusion is
especially apparent.  Whether it's harmless is a matter of judgement,
I guess, but I've sure always found it pretty serious, especially when
showing it to people not already familiar with Lisp or Scheme lore.

-- 
Cheers =8-} Mike
Friede, Völkerverständigung und überhaupt blabla