# my kingdom for a hash table!

"Robert J. Brown" (rj@eli.wariat.org)
Tue, 1 Jul 1997 12:55:55 -0500

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    What it looks like we are trying to re-invent here is the same binding
    mechanism that Lisp has used for literally decades.  The simple linear
    approach results in deep binding, while there are faster techniques
    available that use a combination of hashed and linear search, know as
    shallow binding.  Most modern lisp systems use a shallow binding
    mechanism to manage the OBLIST (Lisp's symbol table).  Perhaps Miss
    Bobrow, our list moderator/owner, could give us a reference to some
    online material that discusses these concepts in more detail.  John
    Allen's excellent book "The Anatomy of Lisp (1979?)" goes into great
    detail on this subject, although it is rather dated nowdays.

    --
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    Robert Jay Brown III  rj@eli.wariat.org  http://eli.wariat.org  1 847 705-0424
    Elijah Laboratories Inc.;  37 South Greenwood Avenue;  Palatine, IL 60067-6328
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