custom Format class (Was: [RFC] Support Unicode characters in instance Show String)

[Henning Thielemann]

On Thu, 8 Jul 2021, Hécate wrote:

> > I don't see a plausible path of getting most libraries that implement
> > `Show` to start implemeting a second parallel class for friendly display.
> 
> * Extensive publicity of this typeclass in community (social media, etc)
> * Stock deriving (implemented by GHC & the CLC)

That works for Show, because Show is expected to display Haskell code. But 
how would you automatically derive human readable text from an arbitrary 
algebraic data type?

> * First-class place in documentation (Documentation Task Force of the HF)
> * Coordinated effort with popular libraries to implement its adoption (CLC + stakeholders)
> * Maybe a code-modding script using retrie.
> 
> We will have to work as a community on that one but I am convinced that this is doable.