Bang patterns, ~ patterns, and lazy let

[John Hughes]

    From: Ross Paterson <ross at soi.city.ac.uk>
    John Hughes wrote:

>> I would urge that either we stick with the present design, or, if bang 
>> patterns are added (which a lot speaks for), that the language be 
>> simplified at the same time so that patterns are matched in the same way 
>> everywhere, and BOTH warts above are excised. Some existing code would 
>> break, but in return the language would become simpler and more expressive.
>    
>
    Would top-level bindings of constructor patterns and !x be evaluated
    when the module was loaded (or at compile time)?


Yes. Nothing else makes sense, does it? If that's problematic (although 
I can't see why it would be), just forbid strict patterns at the top 
level of modules.

Load time rather than compile-time, I think--otherwise the compiled code 
for a module could depend on the *code* of modules it imports, not just 
on their interfaces, which would be harmful for separate compilation.

John