Post #2849142
2026-05-07 16:47 UTC
Because it is not functional ...
Unspecified is pointing out the code smell of it.
If it returned false then it is basically an "if".
That's how i see it anyways.
I also return '() sometimes. Especially in the scheme
html lib i'm using. I kinda miss common-lisp's spinnerrett
where IIRC a you can use a when/unless and it just "disappears"
on the negative path.
In scheme I HAVE to use "if" or else (no-pun) the unspecified explodes
the html generator. But i still like it.
Replies (2)
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@mousebot@todon.nl 2026-05-07 17:01
@pkw yeah me too, but i dislike it. :) so the "functional" when, ie if-error, is like a guard clause. and the CL when, if-nil, is secretly an if. to me when always was the latter, im indifferent to if i have what my when asserts i have, my when structures a fallback situation. interesting distinction to learn for me
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@mousebot@todon.nl 2026-05-07 18:17
@pkw just to conclude my FP tutorial in public, how is returning nil or false not functional? can't i say if we have nothing, gimme nothing. does it have to do with mutability somehow?