[comp.lang.clos] describe and describe-object

andreasg@ganglion.colorado.edu (Andreas Girgensohn) (02/27/91)

Which of the two functions is supposed to be a generic function?  X3J13
88-002R doesn't mention describe-object at all.  In Symbolics CLOS, describe
is a regular function that calls describe-object for CLOS objects.  Has there
been a change in the standard or does the Symbolics implementation violate the
standard?

Andreas Girgensohn
andreasg@cs.colorado.edu

djk@cs.columbia.edu (David Kurlander) (02/27/91)

According to Steele II, describe-object is the method, and describe is
the regular function.  Lucid CLOS conforms to this.  Incidentally,
Keene's book states that describe is a method, but she appears to have
it wrong.

David