lisp_eval_should_be '(equal "foo" "foo")' 'true' 'equal tests for string equality irrespective of identity'
lisp_eval_should_be '(equal 42 42)' 'true' 'equal: numbers'
lisp_eval_should_be '(equal '\''foo '\''foo)' 'true' 'equal: symbols'
lisp_eval_should_be '(equal '\''(1 2 "foo") '\''(1 2 "foo"))' 'true' 'equal: lists'
lisp_eval_should_be '(equal '\''(1 foo "foo") '\''(1 foo "bar"))' 'false' 'equal: unequal things'

    # -- mmmn, strings are atoms but not literals. unlike symbols,
    # they can easily be equal without being eq; check for that.
    else if(_TYPE[a] == "s" && _TYPE[b] == "s")
        return _STRING[a] == _STRING[b]
    # now back to your regular programming --
    #