RE: LISP-like expressions

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Mike Nelson wrote:
> 
> 
> > I've noticed that there is a striking similarity between Lisp and
> > Euphoria: Lists and sequences are almost exactly the same thing.
> >
> > The only things that Euphoria lacks in order for it to actually by
> > definition *be* Lisp is functions as first-class objects (meaning,
> > essentially, that an actual function object can be returned as the
> > *result* of another function) and the use of the same sequence notation
> > as standard syntax for everything.
> >
> > I just find this really interesting, and wonder if perhaps coupled with
> > Diamond or a similar object system, Euphoria could in fact have some of
> > the extra benefits of Lisp.
> >
> 
> I'd need to study more Lisp to see if I could implement all of what you 
> are
> discussing. I'm confident that I could provide function objects as part 
> of
> the Diamond Standard Class Library or as part of the Diamond kernel. I 
> will
> look into this possiblity after I complete the 4.0 release.
> 

Well, you can pass around functions as first-order objects in Euphoria 
using routine-id.  It is kind of clumsy and not nearly as elegant as in 
a real functional language like Haskell, but it can be done.

I've implemented genetic programming in Euphoria (usually done in LISP) 
where arbitrary functions are strung together.  You have to write a 
routine-id based evaluator to process the resulting expressions, but it 
works fine...

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