>>15 here. Let me clear up things:
>>1
Everything that can be done with macros can be done with eval. Everything that can be done with eval can be done with the rest of the lisp language. The language can be downed to a set of axioms; These actioms, among other things, make that particular lisp a turing-complete lisp. Just because turing-completeness is sufficient for meta-programming does not mean you should ignore every feature that quickens the development process of meta-programming. In fact, meta-programming is exactly about saving time from humans writing programs, because it is about programs writing programs. Whoever tries to distinguish between eval/macros either does not understand the issue or has listed a few minute differences between the two in certain cases (which can still be "solved" - you can fully emulate the power of macros with eval, yes).
>>22
Last time i ran gnus there were only a few, if prersistent, parasites with their overwhelming sense of entitlement.
I disagree. I think usenet is full of idiots.
- Xah Lee, a batshit insane ADHD-ridden gook immigrant crossposting shit and actually getting gullible oldfags (!) responsing to his offtopic shit and flames.
I know what you mean by "gullible oldfags": a set of people, different to every group, which is the de facto authority around; they're the cream of the crop in terms of knowledge of the topic/subject, and they spend a fair amount of their time answering questions and participating in useless flamewars and lengthy discussions passing the pedant ball to each other. Presumably you admire these people (they must've at least made an impression to you) because they have acquired this knowledge; but the truth is they're just repeating what has been said. What they do isn't hard at all, try to stay to a newsgroup for some time following the discussions and you'll find out they're mostly debating over the same bullshit, regardless of the source, which may be a troll or a genuine message. They're wasting their time; they're idiots.
- Certain Clojure evangelist, who has since backed down after we told him we don't take kindly to his Java apologism.
Oh great, you already defend the group and consider yourself part of it. Another one stuck with the idiots.
>>23
You can, it has been done.