Python syntax in Lisp and Scheme

[Terry Reedy]

"Shriram Krishnamurthi" <sk at cs.brown.edu> wrote in message
news:w7dk77jq26d.fsf at cs.brown.edu...

>"Terry Reedy" <tjreedy at udel.edu> writes:
>> Lisp (and possibly other languages I am not familiar with) adds the
>> alternative of *not* evaluating arguments but instead passing them
as
>> unevaluated expressions.

> I'm sorry -- you appear to be hopelessly confused on this point.

Actually, I think I have just achieved clarity: the one S-expression
syntax is used for at least different evaluation protocols -- normal
functions and special forms, which Lispers have also called FSUBR and
FEXPR *functions*.  See the post by Steve VanDevender and my response
thereto.

> There are no functions in Scheme whose arguments are not evaluated.

That depends on who defines 'function'.  As you quoted, I said Lisp
(in general) and not Scheme specifically.  I repeat my previous note:
"If anything I write below about Lisp does not apply to Scheme
specificly, my aplogies in advance."

> It is possible that you had a horribly confused, and therefore
> confusing, Scheme instructor or text.

I will let you debate this with LISP authors Winston and Horn.  I also
read the original SICP (several years ago, and have forgotten some
details) and plan to look at the current version sometime.

Terry J. Reedy