strict bits of datatypes

[Lennart Augustsson]

Given the translation of strict constructors I can't anything but _|_  
as the answer.

On Mar 16, 2007, at 15:50 , Ian Lynagh wrote:

>
> Hi all,
>
> A while ago there was a discussion on haskell-cafe about the semantics
> of strict bits in datatypes that never reached a conclusion; I've
> checked with Malcolm and there is still disagreement about the right
> answer. The original thread is around here:
> http://www.haskell.org/pipermail/haskell-cafe/2006-October/018804.html
> but I will try to give all the relevant information in this message.
>
> The question is, given:
>
>     data Fin a = FinCons a !(Fin a) | FinNil
>
>     w = let q = FinCons 3 q
>         in case q of
>                FinCons i _ -> i
>
> is w 3 or _|_?
>
> ---------- The _|_ argument ----------
>
> (Supporters include me, ghc and hugs)
>
>     q = FinCons 3 q
> === (by Haskell 98 report 4.2.1/Strictness Flags/Translation
>     q = (FinCons $ 3) $! q
> === (by definition of $, $!)
>     q = q `seq` FinCons 3 q
> === (solution is least fixed point of the equation)
>     q = _|_
>
> Thus
>
> w = case _|_ of
>         FinCons i _ -> i
>
> so w = _|_.
>
>
> ---------- The 3 argument ----------
>
> (Supporters include Malcolm Wallace, nhc98 and yhc)
>
> Here I will just quote what Malcolm said in his original message:
>
>     The definition of seq is
>         seq _|_ b = _|_
>         seq  a  b = b, if a/= _|_
>
>     In the circular expression
>         let q = FinCons 3 q in q
>     it is clear that the second component of the FinCons  
> constructor is not
>     _|_ (it has at least a FinCons constructor), and therefore it  
> does not
>     matter what its full unfolding is.
>
> and in his recent e-mail to me:
>
>     Yes, I still think this is a reasonable interpretation of the  
> Report.  I
>     would phrase it as "After evaluating the constructor expression  
> to WHNF,
>     any strict fields contained in it are also be guaranteed to be  
> in WHNF."
>
> This also makes q a fixpoint of q = q `seq` FinCons 3 q, but not the
> least fixed point.
>
> ----------
>
> So I think it would be good if we can all agree on what the meaning
> should be, and then to clarify the wording in the report so that  
> future
> readers understand it correctly too.
>
>
> Thanks
> Ian
>
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