[GHC] #14558: Unable to parse integer-gmp's Cabal file

[GHC]

#14558: Unable to parse integer-gmp's Cabal file
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        Reporter:  taylorfausak      |                Owner:  (none)
            Type:  task              |               Status:  new
        Priority:  normal            |            Milestone:
       Component:  Core Libraries    |              Version:  8.2.2
      Resolution:                    |             Keywords:
Operating System:  Unknown/Multiple  |         Architecture:
                                     |  Unknown/Multiple
 Type of failure:  None/Unknown      |            Test Case:
      Blocked By:                    |             Blocking:
 Related Tickets:                    |  Differential Rev(s):
       Wiki Page:                    |
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Changes (by simonpj):

 * owner:  hvr => (none)
 * status:  closed => new
 * resolution:  fixed =>


Comment:

 For me, an important principle is this:

 * '''GHC should strive to make life as easy as possible for downstream
 tools'''

 One way to make life easy is never to make any changes: eternal
 backward-compatibility.  No one is asking for that.  But once we leave
 that extreme there's a continuous spectrum of choices, and we have to
 strike a balance.  For example, in the language design, and library
 changes, we go to much effort to avoid breaking downstream libraries
 and tools, except when there is no alternative -- and even then we try
 to offer plenty of notice and workarounds.

 I'm not familiar with all the technical issues on this thread, but I can
 see
 that there is at least a perception by some that we have caused
 unnecessary
 breakage --- breakage that I didn't even know GHC ''could'' cause.
 Far from making no concessions, I think the GHC developers should
 be very open to making concessions to better support GHC's user community.

 I'll have a chat with Ben, Simon, Herbert and others, to see how best to
 move
 forward. But meanwhile I wanted to state the principle explicitly.

-- 
Ticket URL: <http://ghc.haskell.org/trac/ghc/ticket/14558#comment:48>
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