status: withdrawn (2023-06-29)
keywords: Data Structure, Lazy Evaluation
See also SRFI 45: Primitives for Expressing Iterative Lazy Algorithms. Scheme, like ML, is a programming language with strict evaluation while others, like Haskell, use lazy evaluation. Scheme, however, possesses the primitives delay and force that make it possible to express lazy algorithms.
Lazy evaluation does not go well in conjunction with imperative, non-functional, side-effecting code. It should, however, be applicable in a purely functional setting. This is the case for the delayed evaluation model as described in the R7RS as long as no dynamically bound variables, also known as parameter objects, are present. It is the purpose of this SRFI to rework the specification in the R7RS so that lazy evaluation works with purely functional code that makes use of dynamic environments or, more generally, the dynamic extent. This is done by remembering the dynamic extent in effect when the delay expression is evaluated.
Another perceived misfeature of the R7RS model of delayed evaluation is the apparent need of the delay-force special form to express iterative lazy algorithms. It is shown that the delay-force special form is unneeded and that the implementation can (and should) handle iterative lazy algorithms without space leaks.