Promoting my blog.

[Kazimir Majorinc]

I published three more posts in the meantime:



* Apply Has Its Secrets Too.

* Calculate or Ask.

* Test for Unnecessary Arguments.



Thanks on encouragement.

[DrDave]

Thanks for the nice analysis of Apply.

[Kazimir Majorinc]

Three new posts:

• * The most probable cond.
  
  * Trees, branches and leaves.
  
  * Random sublists.

The first is another one expressive macro, other two are simple examples of functional programming.

[cormullion]

Excellent work as ever. With your productivity, I don't need to write any posts these days... :)



(Perhaps you are making your students write articles for you... ! :)

[Kazimir Majorinc]

Thanx. My main productivity limit is that I do not have discipline to go to sleep when my productivity falls. Anyone else in that boat? In the meantime:



* Decline of Lisp Usenet.



I expect this one to attract some people.

[Kazimir Majorinc]

Another post:



* More on Usenet Posting Frequency.

[Kazimir Majorinc]

Three new items:

• * The Controversies are Going on.
  
  * Where is Letex!
  
  * Multiple Loops.
  

Code Select Expand

(for-multi ((i j) 0 8 4)
   (dotimes-multi ((i j) 5) (print "*"))
   (println " i= " i ", j=" j))
[/list]

[Kazimir Majorinc]

Three new posts:



* Add and Multiply Digits

* The First Use of Identity Function

* Text Titles

[Kazimir Majorinc]

I published four new posts in last few days:



* Gensym and Genlet.

* Genlocal.

* Genloops.



* Supernatural Symbols. (already published on this forum)

[Excalibor]

Kazimir, as always your blog is an interesting and educative reading, thanks for it!



But, in the name of all the conses, would you think about explaining further what's with supernatural symbols??? Please :-)



thx!

[Kazimir Majorinc]

Thanks.



I called them 'supernatural' because it appears that they know what happens around them very first moment they are mentioned in the program.



This is how I did it: Lutz just said that symbols are inserted into symbol table (symbol) during some preparation phase of the expression evaluation. So, symbols are already in (symbol) on the beginning of the evaluation of some block - even if subexpressions that mention these simbols for a first time weren't evaluated yet.



Only thing I needed to do is to remember list (symbol) before begin block, and then again on the beginning of the block. The difference between these two contains exactly variables used in block.



Code is for a dramatic effect hidden in the function self-conscious-symbols. But in essence, it is:

Code Select Expand


(set 'symbols-initially (symbols))

(begin (dolist(x (difference (symbols)           ;this list contains
                             symbols-initially)) ;Sri ... and x only
                             
              (set x (string "Hi. My name is " x ". Ohm...")))
               
       (println Sri-Aurobindo))
       
; Hi. My name is Sri-Aurobindo. Ohm...

Did I adressed the issue that interested you?

[newdep]

very nice kazimir ! -> http://www.instprog.com/Instprog.default-library.lsp">//http://www.instprog.com/Instprog.default-library.lsp



perhpas 'nice' is an understatement here ;-)

[Kazimir Majorinc]

Thanks. It is perpetually in "experimental" phase, running tests etc, but in long terms I'll put it in some prettier form.

[Excalibor]

very nice kazimir ! -> http://www.instprog.com/Instprog.default-library.lsp">//http://www.instprog.com/Instprog.default-library.lsp



perhpas 'nice' is an understatement here ;-)

Agreed! I already use it and abuse it, so thanks for the great work.



Now, returning to supernatural symbols, I think I get the idea...  It's interesting, though, as it came to my mind this could be used to make functions that shape themselves at evaluation time depending on outside knowledge (via (symbols)) at the moment of evaluation... Maybe it's a silly idea, but it could allow not just self-mutating functions, but also evolutionary ones?



Just a quick thought...



When's your next blog entry coming? :-)



laters and thanks!

[Kazimir Majorinc]

Thanks again, Excalibor.



No, I do not think it is silly idea, quite contrary, it is interesting idea. Analogies with physical world are very promissing.



I think I'll have new post in 2-3 hours.