[Haskell-cafe] Numerals in input vs numerals in source

Consider e1 = read "1" :: Integer e2 = read "1" :: Rational e3 = read "1" :: Double e1 and e3 evaluate to 1 and 1.0 respectively e2 produces an error: "Prelude.read: no parse" Yet (1::Integer, 1::Rational, 1::Double) evaluates to (1, 1%1, 1.0) Is the inconsistent parsing defensible, or just an (irrational!) fact? I believe a reconciliation would break nothing. Doug McIlroy