Packages

[Soley@MIT-XX.ARPA]

    Date:  1 Dec 1986 15:34-EST 
    From: Sean.Engelson@cad.cs.cmu.edu
    To: common-lisp@su-ai
    Subject: Packages
    Message-Id: <533853280/spe@cad.cs.cmu.edu>

    This idea has probably been brought up before, but as a solution to the
    'packages problem', without really any loos of functionality, I propose
    the following:  To have symbols be universal, but their values and
    function definitions (maybe extended to all properties) be
    package-tied.  Thus symbols are symbols and are EQ to each other in all
    the expectable cases, etc.., but we have the functionality of differing
    name spaces.  This could be implemented by having a PACKAGE 'property'
    attached to different values of a symbol's property..

Pardon, but let me be the first to barf.  Blech.

Are you saying that (eql #'FOO:QUUX #'BAR:QUUX) => NIL, but
(eql 'FOO:QUUX 'BAR:QUUX) => T ??

First (to say it politely) I don't see how your solution solves
anything.  Second, the more obvious solution of making
(EQL 'FOO:QUUX 'BAR:QUUX) => T is (1) uneconomical, and (2) unteachable
in the presence of (eql #'FOO:QUUX #'BAR:QUUX) => NIL.

I don't think there's really a problem, and, if there is, I don't think
this solves it.  (Sorry for the legal reasoning in that sentence).

	-- Richard Soley