15 Dec
                
                    2008
                
            
            
                15 Dec
                
                '08
                
            
            
            
        
    
                10:58 p.m.
            
        I think that http://www.haskell.org/pipermail/haskell-cafe/2008-April/041461.html may be relevant. It's a design decision.
Thanks for the link. I've read through the thread, but rather than try to figure out if it's the same issue and whether it's a design decision or a historical accident, I've decided to create a ticket (#2885) and let GHC developers decide if it's valid or not.