Quotation regarding QUOTE

[narain%pluto@rand-unix.ARPA]

In the discussions of QUOTE, it would be useful to keep in mind its origins.
Consider the following:

	In order that constants can always be distinguished from
	variables however, they will be quoted. That is, a 2-list
	will be formed whose first element is the keyword QUOTE
	and whose second element is the constant. Hence the constants
	127, NIL, (A B) and X will be represented by the S-expressions
	(QUOTE 127), (QUOTE NIL), (QUOTE (A B)), (QUOTE X) respectively.
	There is no exception to this rule: variables are *never*
	quoted, constants are *always* quoted.

			Peter Henderson
			Functional Programming: Application & Implementation
			Page 97

Note that quotation is hardly required in Prolog since it has another
convention for distinguishing variables from constants.

Sanjai Narain
Rand Corp.