On 2002-08-07T18:26:49+0100, Axel Simon wrote:
Although other compilers might not, GHC does indeed support Unicode 32 bit characters directly.
Let me clarify my understanding of this point a bit further. On the one hand, GHC uses Char to mean a 32-bit value like a Unicode code point. On the other hand, GHC uses Char to mean what files store and sockets transmit and foreign functions process under the C type "char". These two uses are inconsistent, and must be separated. In an earlier message, I suggested that Char mean "C char", and that a new type CodePoint be created to mean "Unicode code point". I would be perfectly happy -- in fact, happier personally -- if Char were to mean "Unicode code point" and a new type CChar were created to mean "C char". Either way, the (function types in the) libraries must be cleaned up to maintain the distinction between "C char" and "Unicode code point". Furthermore, Haskell programs must be able to access both notions. -- Edit this signature at http://www.digitas.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/ken/sig When there was no meat, we ate fowl. When there was no fowl, we ate crawdads. When there was no crawdads to be found, we ate sand.