From ...
From: Erik Naggum <erik@naggum.no>
Subject: Re: Flatten function problem
Date: 1999/01/13
Message-ID: <3125220371465889@naggum.no>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 432109619
References: <77csi6$7kn$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk> <77ekua$38f$1@news.hal-pc.org> <J5Lm2.73$oD6.6615@burlma1-snr1.gtei.net> <77ha6e$9u4$1@news.hal-pc.org>
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Organization: Naggum Software; +47 8800 8879; http://www.naggum.no
Newsgroups: comp.lang.lisp

* "charliew" <charliew@hal-pc.org>
| As I recall, I have encountered this effect when using functions like
| UNPACK, which separate characters, and convert numeric components of a
| number into their character equivalents.  When I have encountered
| numbers, and used numeric functions on them, I haven't seen the
| referenced effect.  However, I suggested this as a possibility that
| should be checked out and eliminated, just to be on the safe side.

  looks like the implementation uses small integers to mean both small
  integers and the character-code of characters.  Emacs Lisp does this.
  C also does this.  it's a very bad idea.

#:Erik