Fixes based on pkh's comments.

common-lisp.html.markdown

@@ -71,16 +71,21 @@ t  ; another atom, denoting true.
 
 ;;; Symbols
 
-'foo ; => FOO
+'foo ; => FOO  Notice that the symbol is upper-cased automatically.
+
+;; Intern manually creates a symbol from a string.
 
 (intern "AAAA") ; => AAAA
 
+(intern "aaa") ; => |aaa|
+
 ;;; Numbers
 9999999999999999999999 ; integers
 #b111                  ; binary => 7
 #o111                  ; octal => 73
 #x111                  ; hexadecimal => 273
-3.14159                ; floating point
+3.14159s0              ; single
+3.14159d0              ; double
 1/2                    ; ratios
 #C(1 2)                ; complex numbers
 
@@ -93,42 +98,42 @@ t  ; another atom, denoting true.
 ;; You can also call a function manually:
 (funcall #'+ 1 2 3) ; => 6
 ;; Some arithmetic operations
-(+ 1 1)  ; => 2
+(+ 1 1)              ; => 2
-(- 8 1)  ; => 7
+(- 8 1)              ; => 7
-(* 10 2) ; => 20
+(* 10 2)             ; => 20
-(expt 2 3) ; => 8
+(expt 2 3)           ; => 8
-(mod 5 2) ; => 1
+(mod 5 2)            ; => 1
-(/ 35 5) ; => 7
+(/ 35 5)             ; => 7
-(/ 1 3) ; => 1/3
+(/ 1 3)              ; => 1/3
 (+ #C(1 2) #C(6 -4)) ; => #C(7 -2)
 
-;;; Booleans
+                     ;;; Booleans
-t ; for true (any not-nil value is true)
+t                    ; for true (any not-nil value is true)
-nil ; for false
+nil                  ; for false - and the empty list
-(not nil) ; => t
+(not nil)            ; => t
-(and 0 t) ; => t
+(and 0 t)            ; => t
-(or 0 nil) ; => 0
+(or 0 nil)           ; => 0
 
-;;; Characters
+                     ;;; Characters
-#\A ; => #\A
+#\A                  ; => #\A
-#\λ ; => #\GREEK_SMALL_LETTER_LAMDA
+#\λ                  ; => #\GREEK_SMALL_LETTER_LAMDA
-#\u03BB ; => #\GREEK_SMALL_LETTER_LAMDA
+#\u03BB              ; => #\GREEK_SMALL_LETTER_LAMDA
 
-;;; Strings are fixed-length simple-arrays of characters.
+;;; Strings are fixed-length arrays of characters.
 "Hello, world!"
 "Benjamin \"Bugsy\" Siegel"   ; backslash is an escaping character
 
 ;; Strings can be concatenated too!
 (concatenate 'string "Hello " "world!") ; => "Hello world!"
 
-;; A string can be treated like a list of characters
+;; A string can be treated like a sequence of characters
 (elt "Apple" 0) ; => #\A
 
 ;; format can be used to format strings:
 (format nil "~a can be ~a" "strings" "formatted")
 
-;; Printing is pretty easy
+;; Printing is pretty easy; ~% is the format specifier for newline.
-(format t "Common Lisp is groovy. Dude.\n")
+(format t "Common Lisp is groovy. Dude.~%")
 
 
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
@@ -136,22 +141,26 @@ nil ; for false
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 ;; You can create a global (dynamically scoped) using defparameter
 ;; a variable name can use any character except: ()[]{}",'`;#|\
+
+;; Dynamically scoped variables should have earmuffs in their name!
+
 (defparameter *some-var* 5)
 *some-var* ; => 5
 
-;; You can also use unicode characters. Not very easy to use though...
+;; You can also use unicode characters.
-(defparameter *foo#\u03BBooo* nil)
+(defparameter *AΛB* nil)
 
 
-;; Accessing a previously unassigned variable is an undefined
+;; Accessing a previously unbound variable is an
-;; behavior (but possible). Don't do it.
+;; undefined behavior (but possible). Don't do it.
+
 
 ;; Local binding: `me` is bound to "dance with you" only within the
 ;; (let ...). Let always returns the value of the last `form` in the
 ;; let form.
 
 (let ((me "dance with you"))
-    me)
+  me)
 ;; => "dance with you"
 
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
@@ -165,9 +174,12 @@ nil ; for false
               :breed "collie"
               :age 5))
 *rover* ; => #S(DOG :NAME "rover" :BREED "collie" :AGE 5)
+
 (dog-p *rover*) ; => t  ;; ewww)
 (dog-name *rover*) ; => "rover"
 
+;; Dog-p, make-dog, and dog-name are all created by defstruct!
+
 ;;; Pairs
 ;; `cons' constructs pairs, `car' and `cdr' extract the first
 ;; and second elements
@@ -188,17 +200,21 @@ nil ; for false
 ;; Can still use `cons' to add an item to the beginning of a list
 (cons 4 '(1 2 3)) ; => '(4 1 2 3)
 
-;; Use `append' to add lists together
+;; Use `append' to - surprisingly - append lists together
 (append '(1 2) '(3 4)) ; => '(1 2 3 4)
 
-;; Lists are a very basic type, so there is a wide variety of functionality for
+;; Or use concatenate -
+
+(concatenate
+
+;; Lists are a very central type, so there is a wide variety of functionality for
 ;; them, a few examples:
-(mapcar #1+ '(1 2 3))          ; => '(2 3 4)
+(mapcar #'1+ '(1 2 3))             ; => '(2 3 4)
-(mapcar #'+ '(1 2 3) '(10 20 30)) ; => '(11 22 33)
+(mapcar #'+ '(1 2 3) '(10 20 30))  ; => '(11 22 33)
-(remove-if-not #'evenp '(1 2 3 4))    ; => '(2 4)
+(remove-if-not #'evenp '(1 2 3 4)) ; => '(2 4)
-(every #'evenp '(1 2 3 4)) ; => nil
+(every #'evenp '(1 2 3 4))         ; => nil
-(some #'oddp '(1 2 3 4)) ; => T
+(some #'oddp '(1 2 3 4))           ; => T
-(butlast '(subject verb object))  ; => (SUBJECT VERB)
+(butlast '(subject verb object))   ; => (SUBJECT VERB)
 
 
 ;;; Vectors
@@ -217,60 +233,96 @@ nil ; for false
 
 (make-array (list 2 2))
 
+;; (make-array '(2 2)) works as well.
+
 ; => #2A((0 0) (0 0))
 
 (make-array (list 2 2 2))
 
 ; => #3A(((0 0) (0 0)) ((0 0) (0 0)))
 
+;; Caution- the default initial values are
+;; implementation-defined. Here's how to define them:
 
-; access the element at 1,1,1,
+(make-array '(2) :initial-element 'unset)
+
+; => #(UNSET UNSET)
+
+;; And, to access the element at 1,1,1 -
 (aref (make-array (list 2 2 2)) 1 1 1)
 
 ; => 0
 
-;;; Sets are just lists:
+;;; Naively, sets are just lists:
 
 (set-difference '(1 2 3 4) '(4 5 6 7)) ; => (3 2 1)
 (intersection '(1 2 3 4) '(4 5 6 7)) ; => 4
 (union '(1 2 3 4) '(4 5 6 7))        ; => (3 2 1 4 5 6 7)
 (adjoin 4 '(1 2 3 4))     ; => (1 2 3 4)
 
+;; But you'll want to use a better data structure than a linked list
+;; for performant work!
+
 ;;; Dictionaries are implemented as hash tables.
 
 ;; Create a hash table
-(defparameter m (hash-table))
+(defparameter *m* (make-hash-table))
 
 ;; set a value
-(setf (gethash 'a hash-table 1))
+(setf (gethash 'a *m*) 1)
 
 ;; Retrieve a value
-(gethash 'a m) ; => 1
+(gethash 'a *m*) ; => 1, t
 
-;; Retrieving a non-present value returns a nil
+;; Detail - Common Lisp has multiple return values possible. gethash
- (gethash m 'd) ;=> nil
+;; returns t in the second value if anything was found, and nil if
+;; not.
+
+;; Retrieving a non-present value returns nil
+ (gethash *m* 'd) ;=> nil, nil
 
 ;; You can provide a default value for missing keys
-(gethash m 'd :not-found) ; => :NOT-FOUND
+(gethash *m* 'd :not-found) ; => :NOT-FOUND
+
+;; Let's handle the multiple return values here in code.
+
+(multiple-value-bind
+      (a b)
+    (gethash 'd *m*)
+  (list a b))
+; => (NIL NIL)
+
+(multiple-value-bind
+      (a b)
+    (gethash 'a *m*)
+  (list a b))
+; => (1 T)
 
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 ;; 3. Functions
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 
 ;; Use `lambda' to create anonymous functions.
-;; A function always returns the value of its last expression
+;; A function always returns the value of its last expression.
-(lambda () "Hello World") ; => #<function>
+;; The exact printable representation of a function will vary...
+
+(lambda () "Hello World") ; => #<FUNCTION (LAMBDA ()) {1004E7818B}>
 
 ;; Use funcall to call lambda functions
 (funcall (lambda () "Hello World")) ; => "Hello World"
 
+;; Or Apply
+(apply (lambda () "Hello World") nil) ; => "Hello World"
+
 ;; De-anonymize the function
-(defun hello-world () "Hello World")
+(defun hello-world ()
+   "Hello World")
 (hello-world) ; => "Hello World"
 
 ;; The () in the above is the list of arguments for the function
 (defun hello (name)
-    (format nil "Hello, ~a " name))
+   (format nil "Hello, ~a " name))
+
 (hello "Steve") ; => "Hello, Steve"
 
 ;; Functions can have optional arguments; they default to nil
@@ -286,6 +338,12 @@ nil ; for false
 (defun hello (name &optional (from "The world"))
    (format t "Hello, ~a, from ~a" name from))
 
+(hello "Steve")
+; => Hello, Steve, from The world
+
+(hello "Steve" "the alpacas")
+; => Hello, Steve, from the alpacas
+
 
 ;; And of course, keywords are allowed as well... usually more
 ;;   flexible than &optional.
@@ -302,18 +360,18 @@ nil ; for false
 ;; 4. Equality
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 
-;; Common Lisp has a sophisticated equality system.
+;; Common Lisp has a sophisticated equality system. A couple are covered yere.
 
 ;; for numbers use `='
 (= 3 3.0) ; => t
 (= 2 1) ; => nil
 
-;; for object identity (approximately) use `eq?'
+;; for object identity (approximately) use `eql`
 (eql 3 3) ; => t
 (eql 3 3.0) ; => nil
 (eql (list 3) (list 3)) ; => nil
 
-;; for collections use `equal'
+;; for lists, strings, and bit-vectors use `equal'
 (equal (list 'a 'b) (list 'a 'b)) ; => t
 (equal (list 'a 'b) (list 'b 'a)) ; => nil
 
@@ -342,8 +400,8 @@ nil ; for false
 
 ;; Typecase switches on the type of the value
 (typecase 1
-           (string :string)
+  (string :string)
-           (integer :int))
+  (integer :int))
 
 ; => :int
 
@@ -352,9 +410,9 @@ nil ; for false
 ;; Of course recursion is supported:
 
 (defun walker (n)
-    (if (= n 0)
+  (if (zerop 0)
-        :walked
+      :walked
-        (walker (1- n))))
+      (walker (1- n))))
 
 (walker) ; => :walked
 
@@ -362,12 +420,12 @@ nil ; for false
 
 
 (dolist (i '(1 2 3 4))
-    (format t "~a" i))
+  (format t "~a" i))
 
 ; => 1234
 
 (loop for i from 0 below 10
-    collect i)
+      collect i)
 
 ; => (0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9)
 
@@ -380,8 +438,8 @@ nil ; for false
 ;; demonstrated earlier in the hash table example.
 
 (let ((variable 10))
-    (setf variable 10))
+    (setf variable 2))
- ; => 10
+ ; => 2
 
 
 ;; Good Lisp style is to minimize destructive functions and to avoid
@@ -395,34 +453,44 @@ nil ; for false
 ;; Conveyances.
 
 (defclass human-powered-conveyance ()
-    ((velocity
+  ((velocity
-         :accessor velocity
+    :accessor velocity
-         :initarg :velocity)
+    :initarg :velocity)
-     (average-efficiency
+   (average-efficiency
-         :accessor average-efficiency)
+    :accessor average-efficiency)
-         :initarg :average-efficiency)
+   :initarg :average-efficiency)
-    (:documentation "A human powered conveyance"))
+  (:documentation "A human powered conveyance"))
+
+;; defclass, followed by name, followed by the superclass list,
+;; followed by slot list, followed by optional qualities such as
+;; :documentation.
+
+;; When no superclass list is set, the empty list defaults to the
+;; standard-object class. This *can* be changed, but not until you
+;; know what you're doing. Look up the Art of the Metaobject Protocol
+;; for more information.
 
 (defclass bicycle (human-powered-conveyance)
-    ((wheel-size
+  ((wheel-size
-        :accessor wheel-size
+    :accessor wheel-size
-        :initarg :wheel-size
+    :initarg :wheel-size
-        :documentation "Diameter of the wheel.")
+    :documentation "Diameter of the wheel.")
-     (height
+   (height
-         :accessor height
+    :accessor height
-         :initarg :height)))
+    :initarg :height)))
 
 (defclass recumbent (bicycle)
-    ((chain-type
+  ((chain-type
-        :accessor chain-type
+    :accessor chain-type
-        :initarg  :chain-type)))
+    :initarg  :chain-type)))
 
 (defclass unicycle (human-powered-conveyance) nil)
 
 (defclass canoe (human-powered-conveyance)
-    ((number-of-rowers
+  ((number-of-rowers
-        :accessor number-of-rowers
+    :accessor number-of-rowers
-        :initarg :number-of-rowers)))
+    :initarg :number-of-rowers)))
+
 
 ;; Calling DESCRIBE on the human-powered-conveyance class in the REPL gives:
 
@@ -438,7 +506,7 @@ nil ; for false
 ;  Direct superclasses: STANDARD-OBJECT
 ;  Direct subclasses: UNICYCLE, BICYCLE, CANOE
 ;  Not yet finalized.
-;  Direct slots:
+(defparameter *foo#\u03BBooo* nil) ;  Direct slots:
 ;    VELOCITY
 ;      Readers: VELOCITY
 ;      Writers: (SETF VELOCITY)
@@ -450,14 +518,16 @@ nil ; for false
 ;; designed to be an interactive system
 
 ;; To define a method, let's find out what our circumference of the
-;; bike turns out to be using the equation: C = d * pi
+;; bike wheel turns out to be using the equation: C = d * pi
 
 (defmethod circumference ((object bicycle))
-  (* 3.14159 (wheel-size object)))
+  (* pi (wheel-size object)))
+
+;; pi is defined in Lisp already for us!
 
 ;; Let's suppose we find out that the efficiency value of the number
-;;  of rowers in a canoe is roughly logarithmic. This should probably be set
+;; of rowers in a canoe is roughly logarithmic. This should probably be set
-;;  in the constructor/initializer.
+;; in the constructor/initializer.
 
 ;; Here's how to initialize your instance after Common Lisp gets done
 ;; constructing it:
@@ -488,7 +558,7 @@ nil ; for false
 `condition` is tested prior to each execution of `body`"
     (let ((block-name (gensym)))
         `(tagbody
-           (when (not ,condition)
+           (unless ,condition
                (go ,block-name))
            (progn
            ,@body)
@@ -503,13 +573,14 @@ nil ; for false
 `condition` is tested prior to each execution of `body`"
   `(loop while ,condition
          do
-         ,@body))
+         (progn
+            ,@body)))
 
 ;; However, with a modern compiler, this is not required; the LOOP
 ;; form compiles equally well and is easier to read.
 
-;; Note that ` is used, as well as , and @. ` is a quote-type operator
+;; Note that ``` is used, as well as `,` and `@`. ``` is a quote-type operator
-;; known as quasiquote; it allows the use of ,. , allows "unquoting"
+;; known as quasiquote; it allows the use of `,` . `,` allows "unquoting"
 ;; variables. @ interpolates lists.
 
 ;; Gensym creates a unique symbol guaranteed to not exist elsewhere in
@@ -529,3 +600,5 @@ nil ; for false
 
 Lots of thanks to the Scheme people for rolling up a great starting
 point which could be easily moved to Common Lisp.
+
+- [Paul Khoung](https://github.com/pkhuong) for some great reviewing.