Re: LuaMacro

[Roberto Ierusalimschy <roberto@...>]

> "A macro is an abbreviation for a set of commands, so instead of typing a 
> complicated sequence of commands you can simply type the macro's name. You 
> can either think of macros as a new commands in their own right or as 
> subroutines."
>
> or
>
> "Also called macroinstruction. 
> <http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=macroinstruction> Computers. an 
> instruction that represents a sequence of instructions in abbreviated 
> form."
>
> I.e, it's nothing more than to save characters, to move expressed logic to 
> a higher level. (read, 'lazy') :)

As far as these descriptions go, there is no difference between macros
and subroutines (functions). The real "selling point" for a macro
mechanism is what you can do with its macros that you cannot do with
functions. And (at least for me) the real interesting question is *why*
you cannot do with functions what you can do with macros.

-- Roberto