Re: setter problem

[Scott_Fahlman@SEF-PMAX.SLISP.CS.CMU.EDU]

    We're considering changing setter syntax so that it doesn't look so
    much like an operation.  Your mistake probably wouldn't have come up
    if (setter a) were spelled set-a.
    
I think some such change really must be made, even at the cost of
taking away a chunk of the space of possible symbols.  The current setter
syntax is by far the ugliest wart in the language.

If we must reserve part of the name space for setter functions, it should
be some part that people won't stumble over accidentally.  I'd prefer that
(setter a) turn into a-setter or setter-a, since "set" would naturally be
used as a variable name for some mathematical set.  If we must choose, it's
probably better to trip up the dog lovers than the mathematicians.

-- Scott
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