Another follow-up from yesterday's doc reviews

[Stelian Ionescu]

On Thu, 2016-09-22 at 14:24 -0500, Robert Goldman wrote:
> On 9/22/16 Sep 22 -2:07 PM, Stelian Ionescu wrote:
> > On Thu, 2016-09-22 at 14:04 -0500, Robert Goldman wrote:
> > > On 9/22/16 Sep 22 -1:56 PM, Stelian Ionescu wrote:
> > > > > The comments in the file say that we *must* use load-asdf to
> > > > > load
> > > > > a
> > > > > .asd file, but not *WHY* we must do so.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Why is this necessary?
> > > > 
> > > > Because asdf:load-asdf sets up the correct evaluation
> > > > environment,
> > > > including setting the correct *package*.
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > OK, again, if this is required, why don't we ENFORCE it?
> > 
> > Because in some specific cases it could be made to work without it
> > (all
> > ASDF symbols package-prefixed, etc...) and some old-timers
> > complained
> > that we're breaking their dev workflow if we make it impossible to
> > reload an .asd using C-c C-c or cl:load
> > 
> 
> I'm one of those old-timers, TBQH.  I interactively compile a lot of
> code, and I don't see why DEFSYSTEM forms should be different.
> 
> I'm not a big fan of making stuff that looks like CL code, but
> doesn't
> *behave* like CL code.
> 
> If we can't LOAD a file with a DEFSYSTEM form, or EVAL a DEFSYSTEM
> form,
> why do we READ them?

Parsing DEFSYSTEM forms with CL:READ is simply convenient, especially
since, as Lispers, we expact Lisp syntax. 

> Why don't we make DEFSYSTEM forms NOT be legal CL
> forms?

They are CL forms, they just require a certain implicit evaluation
environment, which is set up by ASDF:LOAD-ASD.

> 
> I don't want ASDF to turn into a minefield of assumptions that
> require
> its users to carefully read the source to use it properly, because
> things that are otherwise sensible cause random stupid things to
> happen.
> 
> So: let's either ENFORCE the use of LOAD-ASD or let's get rid of it.
> Not enforcing it if it needs enforcing is the bad midpoint on this
> continuum.

I agree it should be enforced.

-- 
Stelian Ionescu a.k.a. fe[nl]ix
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur.


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