[GHC] #10179: Kinds missing from types in ghci

GHC ghc-devs at haskell.org
Mon Mar 23 13:18:37 UTC 2015


#10179: Kinds missing from types in ghci
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
        Reporter:  br1               |                   Owner:
            Type:  bug               |                  Status:  new
        Priority:  normal            |               Milestone:
       Component:  GHCi              |                 Version:  7.10.1-rc2
      Resolution:                    |                Keywords:
Operating System:  Unknown/Multiple  |            Architecture:
 Type of failure:  None/Unknown      |  Unknown/Multiple
      Blocked By:                    |               Test Case:
 Related Tickets:                    |                Blocking:
                                     |  Differential Revisions:
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------

Comment (by goldfire):

 I think the problem here is that GHC/the Haskell community, in general, is
 quite ambivalent about kind-polymorphism. My take on it all is that the
 power users want it. At the same time, we're afraid that it will scare
 people, and so we're a little embarrassed of those `k`s showing up to
 unsuspecting folks without deep experience with type theory. So, we hide
 the kinds behind `-fprint-explicit-kinds`.

 I don't think we'll resolve this tension anytime soon, as it's there for a
 good reason: we want both power and comprehensibility. But it's hard to
 have both, of course.

 So, here's a solution: do (broadly) what Idris does. (I don't have Idris
 to hand, so don't take the analogy too literally.) When a type prints out,
 suppress kinds. BUT, have some interactive way of requesting more
 information, say by clicking on the type. I know this solution will take a
 lot of work, but I think that work will be very worthwhile down the road.
 See, for example, #10073.

--
Ticket URL: <http://ghc.haskell.org/trac/ghc/ticket/10179#comment:3>
GHC <http://www.haskell.org/ghc/>
The Glasgow Haskell Compiler


More information about the ghc-tickets mailing list