Argument lists: a proposal to shoot at

["Scott E. Fahlman" <Fahlman@C.CS.CMU.EDU>]

    Your encoding scheme does not let me see the number of
    'probably-stack-based' parameters (i.e., P+Q) given a function that
    has a &rest param and no &key params.  This makes it impossible to
    provide an encapsulation that would use &rest only where necessary (it
    would force the use of a &rest parameter for all args beyond the
    required parameters).

Sorry, maybe I'm being dense, but I don't understand this.  What is it
that an encapsulation can do better if it can see P+Q ?  Why do you want
to rip the lid off this particular black box?

-- Scott