Re: Is C a functional programming language?

Subject: Re: Is C a functional programming language?
From: Erik Naggum <erik@naggum.no>
Date: 1999/03/19
Newsgroups: comp.lang.smalltalk,comp.lang.java.programmer,comp.lang.c++,comp.lang.basic.visual,comp.lang.lisp,comp.soft-sys.powerbuilder
Message-ID: <3130831814220731@naggum.no>

* Darren Webb <darren@cs.adelaide.edu.au>
| A functional language is generally characterised by its lack of state, so the
| order of computation isn't imperative.  LISP, Miranda, Nesl, Scheme etc. do
| this, usually by manipulation of sequences or steams.

  sigh.  both Lisp and Scheme are not functional by this definition.  Lisp
  objects have state, and they can be destructively modified if you so want.

  BTW, all object-oriented languages have objects with state as an inherent
  property of their design.

#:Erik, who wonders how people who don't know Lisp "know" so much about it