Proposal: Add singleton function to Data.List module

[David Duke]

Stepping to one side of the discussion could I just  point out that,
notation is not just about the form of the final program. One of the
claimed strengths and appeals of FP is the opportunity for program
transformation via a useful
repertoire of algebraic law, cf the work on Squiggol, and the numerous
functional pearls by folk including Richard Bird et.al..
This work befits from having concisely-expressed rules that open the road
to manipulation - long-winded
identifiers suitable for large libraries are not necessarily ideal for
algebraic
manipulation. Ye you could treat the two as separate entities, But a
pleasant feature of Haskell is the ability to work with the notation both
for developmemt and final program.

Going back to the original proposal, I'm not bothered, I would probably
just ignore a singleton library.  However I'm -1 on philosophical grounds.
I'm used to teaching FP to undergrads and half the battle is encouraging
people to think functionally, to
make use of the underlying mathematics and computational model rather than
transliterate <insert your favourite 'bete noir'> into Haskell. That means
thinking of building programs from
functional fragments combined by suitable glue, and appreciating that data
constructors can be used
as functions Yes it takes beginner's time to recognise some of the
patterns,  and (:[] is just one such example(when the light dawns,
the transformation is rewarding. I've lost count of the number of jaws I've
had to pick off the floor :)

So I don't want to make a mountain out of a molehill. If it will really
improve programmers'
lives then okay, So far I' not convinced, and but in fretting over final
code can we please not   lose sight of the 'bigger picture' and challenges..


-- 
David Duke

E:duke.j.david at gmail.com
W:https://engineering.leeds.ac.uk/staff/334/Professor_David_Duke
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