Re: Are two symbols `equal' iff they are `eq'?

[Emanuel Berg]

Marcin Borkowski <mbork@mbork.pl> writes:

> As in the subject; neither the manual nor the
> docstring for `equal' are very clear on this. (The
> docstring for `equal' says: "Symbols must match
> exactly.", which -- I would guess -- means `eq', but
> I'm not sure.)

If x and y are `equal' iff they are `eq', wouldn't
that make those functions equivalent?

Once again, the born man of action will find out like
this:

    (setq *l1* '(1 2 3))
    (setq *l2* '(1 2 3))

    (eq    *l1* *l2*) ; nil
    (eq    *l1* *l1*) ; t

    (equal *l1* *l2*) ; t

So `eq' is structure, and `equal' is data.

-- 
underground experts united
http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573