Subject: [PATCH 8a/9] doc/lispref/intro.texi: Introduce the term `value' early on

From: Michael Witten <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 06 Jul 2012 20:17:05 -0000

The term `value' is used pervasively, so it should be brought to
the reader's attention early on; it is introduced in node `Some Terms'.

Originally, `doc/lispref/functions.texi' introduced both `@dfn{value}'
and `@dfn{return value}' in describing the result of a computation,
but now only `return value' is marked with `@dfn'.
---
 doc/lispref/functions.texi | 2 +-
 doc/lispref/intro.texi     | 9 +++++----
 2 files changed, 6 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/lispref/functions.texi b/doc/lispref/functions.texi
index ab2789b..b0eea05 100644
--- a/doc/lispref/functions.texi
+++ b/doc/lispref/functions.texi
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ define them.
 @cindex argument
   In a general sense, a function is a rule for carrying out a
 computation given input values called @dfn{arguments}.  The result of
-the computation is called the @dfn{value} or @dfn{return value} of the
+the computation is called the @dfn{return value} (or the ``value'') of the
 function.  The computation can also have side effects, such as lasting
 changes in the values of variables or the contents of data structures.
 
diff --git a/doc/lispref/intro.texi b/doc/lispref/intro.texi
index 5ca4d37..0766a23 100644
--- a/doc/lispref/intro.texi
+++ b/doc/lispref/intro.texi
@@ -147,10 +147,11 @@ manual.  You may want to skip this section and refer back to it later.
   Throughout this manual, the phrases ``the Lisp reader'' and ``the Lisp
 printer'' refer to those routines in Lisp that convert textual
 representations of Lisp objects into actual Lisp objects, and vice
-versa.  @xref{Printed Representation}, for more details.  You, the
-person reading this manual, are thought of as ``the programmer'' and are
-addressed as ``you''.  ``The user'' is the person who uses Lisp
-programs, including those you write.
+versa.  @xref{Printed Representation}, for more details.  A Lisp object
+is commonly referred to as a @dfn{value}.  You, the person reading this
+manual, are thought of as ``the programmer'' and are addressed as ``you''.
+``The user'' is the person who uses Lisp programs, including those you
+write.
 
 @cindex typographic conventions
   Examples of Lisp code are formatted like this: @code{(list 1 2 3)}.
-- 
1.7.11.1.29.gf71be5c