base libraries

[Neil Mitchell]

Hi

> * core libs are installed as a aprt of ghc installation process. these
> includes libs that are either ghc-version dependent (base/stm/th) or
> required in process of installation of other libs (cabal, filepath,
> filesystem?)

Yep, that seems a more sensible definition of core. All core libraries
MUST be available to all Haskell implementations. If/when that
direction is taken, things can be split out, but for the moment this
is a future thing.

> > For FilePath there is also the specific issue that its actually
> > required by base (see System.Directory.Internal),
>
> and you want to replace this module with your own, raising
> incompatibility problem again?

I don't want to replace it now, but this might be something for the
future, if the code is examined in detail, and seems to the same
thing.

> backward-incompatible changes. anyone requiring just the old
> functionality then can install FilePath 2.10 and be happy,
> irrespective of Base version he uses

I don't want to evolve or enhance FilePath, I want it to reach a stage
where it provides a useful set of operations, and freeze it. I also
don't want to pick up the responsibility for maintaining the File
related chunks of base :)

Thanks

Neil