compile-time effects of top-level forms

["Scott E. Fahlman" <Fahlman@C.CS.CMU.EDU>]

It is not necessarily true that dealing with the compiler issues as a
group, rather than a few at a time, would slow the process down.  There
was a comprehensive compiler proposal on the table a year ago.  Some
aspects of it were controversial, but it should not have taken more than
a couple of months to hill-climb to some sort of agreement.  The problem
is that the proposal was tabled by the compiler committee chairman,
who apparently thought things were moving too fast.  He has successfully
put an end to that danger.

I suppose it would goad things along a bit if the cleanup committee were
to usurp jurisdiction over a few of these issues and pretend to settle
them, but that really doesn't seem like a good way to get the process
back on track.  Also, the cleanup committee has its own problems when it
comes to getting things done.

-- Scott