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Re: BEGIN in Scheme's Abstract Syntax




>    The major reason is that when doing proofs about Scheme programs,....
> 
>    Another potential benefit of this change is one could simplify the
>    semantics of Scheme by
> 
> Hm. Silly me. I always thought that one of the primary uses of a
> programming language was for people to write programs with. How stupid
> of me to forget that the major use was to prove theorems about
> programs written in it.

Well, Dick, I made roughly the same comments privately and somewhat
less caustically to Jonathan.  Imagine my surprise and embarassment
when he pointed out that the ABSTRACT syntax he suggests changing is
included only in the appendix on semantics.

This appendix has been largely considered to be the private realm of
Will Clinger. As far as I am concerned, any changes that don't affect
the CONCRETE syntax or the English semantics (which dominate, at least
in IEEE-land) are fine by me if they are OK with Will and "the
theorists."

--Jim