[Python-Dev] A Hygienic Macro System in Python? (original) (raw)

Guido van Rossum guido@python.org
Mon, 18 Mar 2002 16:49:26 -0500

I think I understand why macros work so well with Common Lisp. In Common Lisp, the AST is really a list. The AST is easy to read and write and it's easy to make macros transform it. That gives Common Lisp programmer's an amazing amount of power. Maybe Guido thinks it gives them too much. Myself, I don't know. Most of the time you don't need macros but when you do you really do.

It's not that I think it gives too much power, but I do think it's wasted on most users. An open question is whether it's worth adding the complexity for the few who would benefit.

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)