Keeping the compile-time and run-time environments separate?

[Matthew X. Economou]

Admittedly, I have at best a limited understanding when it comes to
implementation issues, the standard, and Lisp, but if I read chapter 3
correctly, as I understand it, source code processed by COMPILE-FILE
should have no effect on the run-time environment, e.g. symbols and
packages shouldn't be created in the run-time environment.

To what extent is this the case, that the compiler should avoid
side-effecting the run-time?

--
"We know for certain only when we know little. With knowlege, doubt
increases." - Goethe

[Tim Bradshaw]

"Matthew X. Economou" <xeno...@irtnog.org> wrote in message news:<w4ohera...@eco-fs1.irtnog.org>...

> Admittedly, I have at best a limited understanding when it comes to
> implementation issues, the standard, and Lisp, but if I read chapter 3
> correctly, as I understand it, source code processed by COMPILE-FILE
> should have no effect on the run-time environment, e.g. symbols and
> packages shouldn't be created in the run-time environment.

DEFPACKAGE certainly creates packages at compile time, and is defined
so to do. Whether an implementation is allowed to keep such packages
and symbols &c in a secret place that only the compiler knows about
I'm not sure. I doubt any do.

--tim