From: Martin DeMello <martindemello@...>
Date: 2005-09-27T16:41:43+09:00
Subject: Re: Fwd: Lisp macros

Joe Van Dyk <joevandyk@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I'm just repeating what I've heard numerous times, but apparently, you
> can only get Lisp macros if the language has lots of silly irritating
> parenthesis.  And since Ruby has syntax, it wouldn't be possible.
> 
> Or something.  Don't pay attention to me.  I have no clue what i'm
> talking about.  :(

No, all you need is a way to manipulate the abstract syntax tree from
code (or, indeed, the bytecode representation from code, for languages
that work that way). Lisp gets it for free because s expressions *are*
an abstract syntax tree.

martin