Re: (progn 'compile ...)

[George J. Carrette <GJC at MIT-MC>]

Do we really need this? I don't really think it is a
documented feature of lisp compilers that toplevel
PROGN's are flattened if and only if the first form
in the PROGN is (QUOTE COMPILE). I think this
non-uniformity is a bit silly, at this point,
if somebody wants to "protect" their DEFUN's
 from being compiled, they should say 
(EVAL '(DEFUN ...)).  (Although, chuckle, at this
time the maclisp compiler manages to output NOTHING
when it sees (EVAL '(S-EXP)), an obvious bug).

If all PROGN's where flattened, would anybody notice?
I doubt it very much.

Q: Who invented (PROGN 'COMPILE ...) and what were
   the reasons? 

-gjc