Autoload properties

[John L. Kulp <JLK at MIT-MC>]

What is your criteria for this?  It seems to me that if a substantial
subcommunity uses a feature and it does not conflict with other built-in
features, there is no reason not to include it.  Speaking specifically
about LOOP, I am surprised that there has not been more discussion in
the recent flaming about DO concerning the various inflexibilities it
manifests (e.g. awkwardness of initial clauses, inability to conveniently
order multiple stepping clauses and end-tests, etc.).  The only negative
thing I have heard about LOOP is its keyword driven syntax (this being
negative is certainly subject to debate since, as Moon recently pointed
out, there are limitations to nested-list syntax in terms of one's
ability to use and understand it).  My figure of merit for such features
is a combination of the ease with which I can specify the control I want
and the ease with which I can understand code written with such constructs.
("ease" is mental effort + typing effort).  Convenient iteration primitives
are so basic to a programming environment that something like LOOP should
be endorsed as a "standard" before long (note that LOOP doesn't necessarily
obviate the need for simple, direct primitives such as DOTIMES, DOLIST, REPT,
etc.).

WRT FERROR and friends, I don't have an opinion on this yet other than the
fact that it is important to have it.