[comp.sys.ti.explorer] here's something interesting...

) (06/17/89)

it seems that referencing MOST-POSITIVE-SINGLE-FLOAT or
MOST-NEGATIVE-SINGLE-FLOAT is OK, but actually working with the value
directly bombs the reader.

(format t "~S" MOST-POSITIVE-SINGLE-FLOAT)
(format t "~S" 3.4028237e38)

one could try the same thing using READ-FROM-STRING, or anything that
involves the lisp reader having to parse the number directly.

how is this possible?

 -- clint