Whither split base?

[Ian Lynagh]

On Tue, Oct 30, 2018 at 01:16:56PM +0100, Herbert Valerio Riedel wrote:
> 
> On 2018-10-30 at 08:04:59 -0400, Andrew Martin wrote:
> > We could move Text.Printf
> > out of base and into its own library.
> 
> The effect I'd expect if we do this is
> that `Text.Printf` will be reached for less (which some might argue to
> be a desirable effect -- but you're effectively pushing this API to a
> path of slow legacy death due to reduced discoverability, IMO)

I wonder whether you would support moving this into base if it weren't
there already.

I don't think the death argument scales. We can't put all modules that
someone doesn't want to die into base, or it will become huge. If printf
doesn't survive in a level playing field, as a separate library with all
the other non-base libraries, then it probably deserves to die.

My opinion is that base should be made as small as possible, to make it
(and its internal dependencies) easier to understand and maintain, and
faster to build.


Thanks
Ian