Re: Should GHC default to -O1 ?

Quoting Conrad Parker :

I don't think compile time is an issue for new users when building HelloWorld.hs and getting the hang of basic algorithms and data structures. Anyone could explicitly set -O0 if they are worried about compile times for a larger project.

I don't agree that GHC's user interface should be optimized for newcomers to Haskell. GHC is an industrial-strength compiler with some very advanced features; the majority of its target audience is professional programmers. Let its interface reflect that fact. As Simon explained, GHC's current defaults are a very nice point in the programming space for people who are actively building and changing their programs. ~d