[r6rs-discuss] R6 counterproposal

[Abdulaziz Ghuloum]

On May 29, 2007, at 3:04 AM, John Cowan wrote:

>> In fact, syntax-case is strictly more expressive than the old- 
>> style Lisp
>> macros represented by defmacro.  The lisp-transformer on page 54  
>> of the
>> library document shows how syntax-case can be used (trivially) to  
>> write
>> old-style Lisp macros.  Defmacro itself is easily defined using
>> lisp-transformer.
>
> It sounds like they are equivalent in power, then.

Give a trivial definition of syntax-case using defmacro and I would
grant you that the two are equivalent in expressive power.  So far,
we know that (1) you can express defmacro using syntax-case and (2)
you cannot do the converse.  I don't see how that sounds like the
two are equivalent in power.

Aziz,,,