Re: using setq to create lists based on other lists...

[Robert Thorpe]

Barry Margolin <barmar@alum.mit.edu> writes:

> In article <mailman.5042.1543777897.1284.help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org>,
>  Robert Thorpe <rt@robertthorpeconsulting.com> wrote:
>
>> I've seen lots of beginners write programs that setq undefined symbols
>> and now I know why.
>
> There's nothing wrong with it in Emacs Lisp and a number of other Lisp 
> dialects. I think Common Lisp was the first specification that made it 
> questionable, but it was commonplace in the days of Maclisp, which is 
> the dialect that Emacs Lisp is most directly descended from.

Yes.  But, there's still the issue of accidentally creating global
variables.

I think the modern learner will expect "setq" to do what "let"
does unless told otherwise.  

BR,
Robert Thorpe