[plt-scheme] The historical role/value of set-car! and set-cdr!

On Jan 26, 2008 6:32 PM, Grant Rettke <grettke at acm.org> wrote:
> Historically, though, they must have been there for some really good reason?
>
> What was that reason?

How else could you set the contents of the address register (CAR) and
decrement register (CDR) on an IBM 704?

I wonder if you can find an IBM 704, 705, 709, or 7090 on eBay?

Nope.

Ah well.

Cheers,
M

PS. I don't know if that qualifies as a "really good reason." I
believe it's historically accurate, though.