[Haskell-cafe] Re: Use of abbreviations in Haskell

Colin Paul Adams wrote:

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"Achim" == Achim Schneider writes:

Achim> OTOH, I don't like the idea of having to write "Attribute" Achim> all the time, and neither want to write pages of

Achim> attrKey = Attribute.key

Achim> for 1000-element records (or TH to tackle standard language Achim> problems, for that matter), so there has to be some way for Achim> library users to shorten code without being masochistic, Achim> somewhat like this:

Achim> A = Attribute

Nay, there's no tax on keystrokes.

Code is far more often read than written.

Say, did you ever read Java and wondered why you have to continuously scroll to the right albeit using a 500-column terminal? Exceedingly long names are fine to organise a large library, but becomes burdensome when code only uses a subset of it... which is usually the case. _both_ in reading and writing. The longer identifiers are, the shorter information distance between two related ones tends to be, as in generateMapThatTakesAFooAndReturnsABarBydoingBaz vs. generateMapThatTakesAFuAndReturnsABarBydoingBaz compare this with locally-defined aliases mapOfFoo and mapOfFu Short notation isn't the problem, missing explanation of it is.[1] Currently, you can observe stuff like data Abst -- raction = Foo | Bar in my code. I don't mind making that a language feature for increased profit. Anyway, my code tends to get refactored more than being read or written. I want to finish typing _before_ the next idea kicks in. [1] This, as a side note, also tends to make me hate academics. -- (c) this sig last receiving data processing entity. Inspect headers for copyright history. All rights reserved. Copying, hiring, renting, performance and/or quoting of this signature prohibited.