Re:The Background for CAR and CDR
by aap_ on Monday December 27, 2021 @11:04AM
(#29703577)
> Although the exact origins of the names for car and cdr are lost in the mists of time
This is absolutely wrong. If you read AI memo 1 you will find a bunch of functions: cwr, cpr, csr, cir, cdr, ctr, car, cbr, csgr. These return various parts of an IBM 704 word (also called a register) or will set it when assigned to. As we know only car and cdr survived, but it's explained very clearly how they wanted to build list structures.
This is absolutely wrong. If you read AI memo 1 you will find a bunch of functions: cwr, cpr, csr, cir, cdr, ctr, car, cbr, csgr. These return various parts of an IBM 704 word (also called a register) or will set it when assigned to. As we know only car and cdr survived, but it's explained very clearly how they wanted to build list structures.