Subject: Re: Avoiding unintentional variable capture
From: Erik Naggum <erik@naggum.no>
Date: 1999/09/10
Newsgroups: comp.lang.lisp
Message-ID: <3145964695296475@naggum.no>

* Dorai Sitaram
| Well, all right.  FWIW, I am sorry you had all those harrowing
| experiences with the Scheme community.  What comes across very clearly in
| your response is that you have this antipathy toward the Scheme
| community, if not toward Scheme per se.  Either kind of antipathy is OK.
| I still think it is unfortunate to be enraged or seduced into silly
| untruths because of that.  Fighting fire with fire really works only for
| the Fire Department.  Out here it only adds to that "sociological mess"
| that you feel burned by.

  excuse me, but why should I feel any better about Scheme, now?  you
  attack one of the most knowledgeable persons in _both_ communities for no
  reason at all.  is this _another_ instance of "political correctness"?

  tell you what: I want to write nice, working programs that don't take
  forever and to use as much of the legacy of mankind as possible in the
  process.  that's why I can't stand Scheme, which makes me feel like I
  have been given exquisitely shaped flint stones and a beautifully
  prepared coat made from a bear's hide, and then I have to re-invent
  everything from there, which will neither be exquisite nor beauitiful
  because I don't have 40,000 years to reinvent everything from where
  Scheme left us in anything but rough ways.  since Scheme people tend to
  be extraordinarily proud of their hand-made bear coats and swing flint
  stones like no one has ever seen and then challenge everyone they meet to
  compete with them on such terms, especially Common Lisp people, I also
  find little reason to frequent Scheme communities.  when you arrive with
  your own neanderthal attitude, Dorai, I tend to think that Scheme people
  should be left alone, possibly relocated to a reservation, but let's make
  sure we don't leave any metal ores nearby.  there's no telling what would
  happen if the Scheme community discovered bronze, or god forbid, iron.
  but at least you're _incredibly_ hygienic and elegant, and I, too, admire
  your fine flint stones, as long as I don't have to use them for anything.

#:Erik
-- 
  it's election time in Norway.  explains everything, doesn't it?