[plt-scheme] SRFI 41

The definition of stream-member given in the text of SRFI-41 is incorrect.
The problem is inconsistent typing: one branch of the cond returns #f, which
is not a stream, while another branch of the cond returns strm, which is a
stream.  Here is a definition of stream-member? which returns either #t or
#f; it uses normal define, not stream-define, and normal let, not
stream-let:

(define (stream-member? eql? obj strm)
  (let loop ((strm strm))
    (cond ((stream-null? strm) #f)
          ((eql? (stream-car strm) obj) #t)
          (else (loop (stream-cdr strm))))))

Given that, (stream-member? equal? 'c (stream 'a 'b)) evaluates to #f, as
you expect.

Another definition of stream-member, the one that was intended by SRFI-41,
is:

(define-stream (stream-member eql? obj strm)
  (stream-let loop ((strm strm))
    (cond ((stream-null? strm) (stream #f))
          ((eql? obj (stream-car strm)) strm)
          (else (loop (stream-cdr strm))))))

That definition type-checks because both branches of the cond evaluate to a
stream.  Given that definition, (stream-car (stream-member equal? 'c (stream
'a 'b))) evaluates to #f, and (stream-car (stream-member equal? 'a (stream
'a 'b))) evaluates to a.

Note that stream-member is not defined in SRFI-41; it is just an example in
the text (worse, it is an incorrect example in the text).  If PLT includes
stream-member in its version of SRFI-41, that is an extension of SRFI-41.
If PLT wants to extend SRFI-41, it would be better to define the library in
such a way that it is loaded by (require srfi/41-extended-by-PLT) or some
such mechanism.  By taking the liberty of extending the base definition of
SRFI-41, PLT confuses users and makes code written using its extended
version of SRFI-41 non-portable to other Scheme systems that adhere to
SRFI-41 as it is written.

I will forward this note to the SRFI-41 mailing list.

Phil

On Wed, Oct 8, 2008 at 1:11 PM, michael rice <nowgate at yahoo.com> wrote:

>  There's a stream-member function given in SRFI 41 that doesn't seem to
> work as expected.
>
> =================
>
> (require srfi/41)
>
> (define s1 (stream-cons 'a (stream-cons 'b stream-null)))
>
> (define-stream (stream-member eql? obj strm)
>   (stream-let loop ((strm strm))
>     (cond ((stream-null? strm) #f)
>           ((eql? obj (stream-car strm)) strm)
>           (else (loop (stream-cdr strm))))))
>
> ===================
>
> Welcome to DrScheme, version 4.1 [3m].
> Language: Swindle; memory limit: 128 megabytes.
> > (stream-member equal? 'c s1)
> #<stream>
> >
>
> ===================
>
> Shouldn't the answer be #f?
>
> Michael
>
>
> _________________________________________________
>  For list-related administrative tasks:
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>
>
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