Data.HashMap: Strict or lazy by default?

[Isaac Dupree]

On 02/18/11 18:21, Edward Kmett wrote:
> On Fri, Feb 18, 2011 at 3:32 PM, Johan Tibell<johan.tibell at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> On Thu, Feb 17, 2011 at 4:51 PM, Johan Tibell<johan.tibell at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>> My current thinking is to provide lazy and strict versions in
>>> different modules. The two modules could still share the same data
>>> type. The question is, what should be the default? Haskell is a lazy
>>> language but the most common use cases for maps are strict (e.g. a map
>>> from strings to integer counters).
>>
>> What about class instances? With a shared data type we can only
>> provide one set of instances, probably the lazy ones. Assuming we used
>> to separate data types, can we even define instances for all common
>> classes (e.g. Functor, Foldable, Monoid) or will the strict versions
>> violate some of the laws for these classes?
>
>
> Hrmm, the strict version will violate the laws for Functor:
>
> (fmap (const 12) . fmap error) /= fmap (const 12 . error)

That's an issue, though.  It means you can't use a Map that tries to 
keep its values always strict if you want to use class Functor with it. 
  *Even if* it's a separate type in Data.SomeMap.Strict. (Unless you're 
willing to break the law in the presence of _|_ values.)

-Isaac