 	pushl  0xfffffffc(%ebx)
50                   	push   %eax
e9 xx xx xx xx          jmp    _char_betweenP_4
</pre></blockquote>

<p>That's only 18 bytes.  Still not that pretty, but no longer
disgusting.</p>

</li>

<li> Storing <b>symbols in a skip list or hash table</b> would
probably help a lot with programs like compilers that use
<tt>string->symbol</tt> a lot. </li>

</ul>

<p>Another direction is to <b>make it more practical</b>.  For
example, improved error-reporting, a profiler, an FFI, and access t