Re: setter problem

[alms@cambridge.apple.com (Andrew LM Shalit)]

At  9:41 PM 10/26/92 +0000, Jeff Dalton wrote:
> > This doesn't work because setter isn't a function.  The definition
> > of set-foo uses a variable
> > 
> >    (setter m)
> > 
> > Of course, there is no such variable.  Your program acts as if setter
> > is a function which takes one function and returns another, which is
> > not the case.  Setter is syntax.
> 
> But it is a function of exactly that sort in T (and EuLisp),
> which may explain why someone might expect it to be a function.
> 
> And, for what it's worth, I prefer the T approach.
> 
> Common Lisp needs somethign more general and macro-like, rather
> than a function->function function, for only a few cases such as
> LDB.

Both the Common Lisp and T approaches have the problem that you cannot
export a getter without also exporting the setter.  Dylan does not
have this problem.

  -Andrew