Re: Bindings and Space leaks

1. Is there something like a strict "let!" for avoiding function closures by forcing strict evaluation (to headnormalform) of local declarations?

Not that I am aware of. You must do it explicitly with `seq`.

2. In a '93 paper, Jan Sparud describes an implementation technique for avoiding space leaks when tuples are returned as function result, and the values accessed by pattern matching in bindings. The paper says this technique (of shorcircuiting all references via a tuple, the first time a tuple element is demanded) has been implemented in Chalmers LML/HBC compiler. What about other compilers, e.g. GHC?

It is certainly implemented in nhc98, not just for tuples, but for selectors of any constructed type. Regards, Malcolm