(defvar *db* (list (list :name "alice" :city "london")
                   (list :name "carol" :city "oxford")))

;; Why should we use with-standard-io-syntax?

(with-open-file (out "my.db" :direction :output :if-exists :supersede)
  (with-standard-io-syntax
    (print *db* out)))

(with-open-file (in "my.db")
  (with-standard-io-syntax
    (format t "~a~%" (read in))))

;; I see not using with-standard-io-syntax also works fine.
;; I was able to create a "my.db" file without using with-standard-io-syntax
;; with SBCL and read the file back with CLISP. So is it really necessary to
;; use with-standard-io-syntax?

(with-open-file (out "my.db" :direction :output :if-exists :supersede)
  (print *db* out))

(with-open-file (in "my.db")
  (format t "~a~%" (read in)))