Re: Distinguishing `consp` and `functionp`

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2024 19:42:28 +0000
> Cc: monnier@iro.umontreal.ca, emacs-devel@gnu.org
> From: Alan Mackenzie <acm@muc.de>
> 
> > > > That statement is mildly offensive.
> 
> > > But justified.
> 
> > It isn't, not here.  Please stop.  Bonus points for apologizing.
> 
> I apologise to you and the rest of the group (excluding SM) for being so
> blunt.

Thank you.

> > All of this can be expressed politely, and given that English is your
> > first language, you should have no problem coming up with a more
> > polite wording.  So please do.
> 
> I've been coming up with "polite wording" with Stefan for over 20 years
> now, when he's dodged answering questions.  It's never done any good.
> What would you suggest I do in such situations?

Keep doing that.  There's never a better alternative, not IME.

> I'm worried about his proposal for fundamental changes in the Lisp
> machine.  I've asked him what the benefit of the proposed change will be
> 5 or 6 times, mostly politely, and got no meaningful answer any of those
> times.

You got answers, some of them say that your questions and concerns
need to be enriched by more technical details and specific examples.
I suggest to try to come up with those details.

> I suspect that there are no advantages to this proposal, only
> disadvantages.  But I'm worried that I'll wake up some day to find it
> installed on master anyway.  You've also expressed concern, albeit much
> more gently.
> 
> Perhaps you could find a way of putting the question to Stefan in a way
> which he would actually answer.

I did ask a question, and still hope Stefan will answer it when he has
time.

But by and large, when all the questions are asked and answered, we
need to trust one another that we know what we are doing, and that if
we find ourselves in error, we know how to admit that and fix it.  So
if you cannot convince the others, if they still think they are right
after all your questions and concerns, my suggestion is to let the
chips fall as they may, and take it from there.