Meta-point: backward compatibility

[Niklas Broberg]

> An interesting question. What is the goal of Haskell'? Is it to, like
>  Python 3000, fix warts in the language in an (somewhat) incompatible
>  way or is it to just standardize current practice? I think we need
>  both, I just don't know which of the two Haskell' is.

I would hope it is both. Some changes simply cannot become current
practice since they would not be compatible with existing code, and
the only place that such changes *could* be made is in a new language
version. Like you say, fail in the Monad class is one such issue that
would not be backwards compatible, and couldn't become a current
practice without some help. Chicken or egg first?

Cheers,

/Niklas