compiling anonymous functions

[snyder%hplabs.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA]

I agree with Jonathan Rees that compilers should compile anonymous functions,
and that it is important that programmers be able to assume this behavior.  I
also agree with Scott Fahlman that the best approach would be to require (or
at least strongly suggest) that compilers treat all compilable functions
equally.  Thus, if a compiler compiles top-level defuns in a given
implementation, it must also compile other compilable function definitions as
well.

However, this notion depends on being able to come up with a clear definition
of "compilable function".  Anyone have any suggestions on how to define this?
Can this notion be defined in a way that does not unduly restrict the
implementation?  One thing that has bothered me in the definition of CL is the
limited definition of "top-level form" (page 66).  I would suggest extending
it (recursively) to include forms directly nested in top-level occurrences of
LOCALLY, MACROLET, COMPILER-LET, EVAL-WHEN, and PROGN.
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