On Mon, Dec 27, 2010 at 12:44 AM, Henning Thielemann
I think it would be enough, if the compiler could be told to unfold an expression like parse "text in a domain specific language" at compile time.
I'm afraid I have to disagree with you here. Being able to specify that the string should be parsed at compile time is only half of the equation in my mind. The other half is the clean syntax for multi-line strings. Haskell already has great syntax for specifying data in a declarative manner. Especially in contrast with ie Java/C++. Even as good as the dynamic languages ie JavaScript/Python/Ruby. When you add the ability to specify data in ANY syntax you can parse, Haskell is clearly the best. But the complexity of TH detracts from the elegance of this greatly in my opinion. And wrapping your "data" in string syntax, multi-line or otherwise, detracts from the elegance as well. A syntax has to be less painful or more convenient or more readable/maintainable than literal list/record syntax before it is useful.