Re: Documentation for car and cdr

[Peter Whaite]

So many other things I should do but:

David Kastrup <address@hidden> wrote:
> "Richard M. Stallman" <address@hidden> writes:
> 
> >     Return the car of cons cell CONS.  If arg is nil, return nil.
> >     Error if arg is not nil and not a cons cell.  See also `car-safe'.
> >
> > How about this:
> >
> >     Return the car of cons cell (or list) CONS.  If arg is nil, return nil.
> >     Error if arg is not nil and not a cons cell.  See also `car-safe'.
> 
> No, I liked, if at all, Alan's last suggestion better.

I preferred the version Miles wrote.  It was very clear.

> Your wording suggests that a cons cell and a list are different
> things, but a cons  cell.

Not sure what your intent here is, but a list and a cons cell are different.  A
list is a structure made from cons cells and atoms.  A cons cell is, er,
a cons cell.  Thats why I liked Miles' version.

> And I think "car of a list" strange terminology, anyway.  Lists have
> elements, not cars.  I'd talk about "car of a cons" and "first element
> of a list".

Strange but more fun:

  "the cadr of the list"            -- now that sounds interesting
  "the second element of the list"  -- oh is that all.

-- 
Peter Whaite (http://whaite.ca)