From 0b8f3ac521951ba0ec008431a14f79664cec32e7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Andy Wingo Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2009 18:21:27 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] word tweaks * doc/ref/guile.texi: Finish some wording. * doc/ref/compiler.texi: Fix some goofiness. --- doc/ref/compiler.texi | 4 ++-- doc/ref/guile.texi | 26 ++++++++++++++++++++------ 2 files changed, 22 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-) diff --git a/doc/ref/compiler.texi b/doc/ref/compiler.texi index ad874c211..76d9ab338 100644 --- a/doc/ref/compiler.texi +++ b/doc/ref/compiler.texi @@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ magical -- they transform inert text into live results, like throwing the switch on Frankenstein's monster. However, this magic is perceived by many to be impenetrable. -This section aims to pull back the veil from over Guile's compiler -implementation, and pay attention to the small man behind the curtain. +This section aims to pay attention to the small man behind the +curtain. @xref{Read/Load/Eval/Compile}, if you're lost and you just wanted to know how to compile your .scm file. diff --git a/doc/ref/guile.texi b/doc/ref/guile.texi index 50cce497e..a67589915 100644 --- a/doc/ref/guile.texi +++ b/doc/ref/guile.texi @@ -368,10 +368,24 @@ available through both Scheme and C interfaces. @node Guile Implementation @chapter Guile Implementation -Things that aren't necessary to know to use guile, but that are -interesting once you decide that Guile is interesting. - -Also Schemers as closet compiler writers. +At some point, after one has been programming in Scheme for some time, +another level of Scheme comes into view: its implementation. Knowledge +of how Scheme can be implemented turns out to be necessary to become +an expert hacker. As Peter Norvig notes in his retrospective on +PAIP@footnote{PAIP is the common abbreviation for @cite{Paradigms of +Artificial Intelligence Programming}, an old but still useful text on +Lisp. Norvig's retrospective sums up the lessons of PAIP, and can be +found at @uref{http://norvig.com/Lisp-retro.html}.}, ``The expert Lisp +programmer eventually develops a good `efficiency model'.'' + +By this Norvig means that over time, the Lisp hacker eventually +develops an understanding of how much her code ``costs'' in terms of +space and time. + +This chapter describes Guile as an implementation of Scheme: its +history, how it represents and evaluates its data, and its compiler. +This knowledge can help you to make that step from being one who is +merely familiar with Scheme to being a real hacker. @menu * History:: A brief history of Guile. @@ -379,8 +393,8 @@ Also Schemers as closet compiler writers. straightforward, in general terms. * The Libguile Runtime Environment:: Low-level details on Guile's C runtime library. -* A Virtual Machine for Guile:: Foo. -* Compiling to the Virtual Machine:: Bar. +* A Virtual Machine for Guile:: How compiled procedures work. +* Compiling to the Virtual Machine:: Not as hard as you might think. @end menu @include history.texi -- 2.20.1