[plt-scheme] Re: [Larceny-users] side effects in R6RS modules

On Tue, May 5, 2009 at 1:47 PM, Robby Findler
<robby at eecs.northwestern.edu> wrote:
> On Mon, May 4, 2009 at 11:19 PM, Michele Simionato
> <michele.simionato at gmail.com> wrote:
>> ..., but
>> one must take extra care in Ikarus, because the compiler is
>> very smart (those smart kids!)
>
> I mean no disrespect to Aziz & Ikarus (they are fine systems, both of
> them ;), but I do not think that "smart" is the right label to apply
> to a compiler that eliminates code whose effect is observable.

I look at it this in way: Aziz changed the meaning of the "import" form.
In all systems (import (foo)) means "instantiate foo", but in Ikarus
it means "have a look at module foo, but instantiate it only
if it exports some variable which is actually used in the rest of
the program".