[Haskell-beginners] Possible to update Haskell syntax

cm cm at raytheon.com
Wed Nov 26 00:09:47 EST 2008


From: "Tillmann Rendel" <rendel at daimi.au.dk>
[...]
>
> However, I don't see why it would be a good idea. The obvious disadvantage 
> is making the syntax more complicated, and more fragile. For example, you 
> no longer could move an expression inside a brackets while refactoring 
> your code.
>
> Regarding possible advantages: Do you have a specific use case in mind, 
> which could be written easier or cleaner with this list syntax?

I would just like as simple an input syntax as possible (minimum of 
punctuation) for interactive use, for both lists and tuples.  For instance, 
if all entries in a list or tuple are numbers, then I think eliminating the 
commas would be convenient and look nicer.

As a use case, one might have
  " permute (2 3 4) [7 9 11 0 1 5]", which would be a function which 
cyclically permutes elements 2 3 4 of a list.

Regarding your question of what [a + b c] in "altered consciousness syntax" 
would resolve to in real world Haskell, it would be [a, (+), b, c].  [(a + 
b) c] would resolve to [a + b, c].  The rule would be that whitespace inside 
a bracket becomes a comma delimiter.  If there are parentheses inside the 
bracket, then the expression inside the parentheses reverts to normal 
syntax.

These are probably not workable ideas.  I'm just annoyed by extra 
punctuation which I consider to be visual clutter.





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