[Haskell-cafe] do we have something like isDefined or isNullin Haskell?

[Brian Hulley]

On Thursday, June 15, 2006 8:07 PM Clifford Beshers wrote:

> On another note, who picked the word `Just' for this type
> and how did we end up with Some x | None in
> O'Caml and Just x | Nothing in Haskell?

I've always thought this is one of the most charming things about Haskell, 
along with the use of the quaint word "otherwise". It's so friendly and 
conversational compared to the cold logicality of OCaml or the shoutyness of 
SML's SOME and NONE eg

    a phone call to a relative:
    callee: "Who's that?"
    caller: "Don't worry, it's Just me!"

    at school:
    teacher: "What did you just say?"
    pupil: "Nothing"

    in a shop:
    Haskeller: "I'll just buy some crisps"
    OCamler: "I'll buy some packet of crisps"
    SMLer: "I'll buy SOME packet of crisps"

Regards, Brian.

-- 
Logic empowers us and Love gives us purpose.
Yet still phantoms restless for eras long past,
congealed in the present in unthought forms,
strive mightily unseen to destroy us.

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