GNU bug report logs - #61281
“`(a \, b)” equals to “`(a . ,b)”

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From: Michael Heerdegen <michael_heerdegen <at> web.de>
To: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
Cc: Xie Shynur <one.last.kiss <at> outlook.com>, "61281 <at> debbugs.gnu.org" <61281 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Subject: bug#61281: “`(a \, b)” equals to “`(a . , b)”
Date: Sun, 05 Feb 2023 05:32:34 +0100

Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com> writes:

> Yes, but see above.  I think \, should be read
> as the symbol whose print name is ",".

That's the case.

>  To me, `(a \, b) should be treated like (a foo b): a list of 3
> symbols - no evaluation.

No evaluation by backquote, you mean?  Yes, you need to say `(a ,'\, b).
Is this really different in other Lisps (isn't `,' a reader macro in
Common Lisp)?

>  And `(a \,b) should be treated as a list of two symbols, whose print
> names are "a" and ",b".

That's also the case.


I don't decide about this, but when we changed the semantics of `,' like
you suggest, we will probably break a lot of code for no real gain (I
think the semantics in Elisp clear and easy to understand), so this
sounds like a very bad idea to me.

Michael.

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