Re: [Mid-discussion Summary] Proposal: add new Data.Bits.Bits(bitZero) method

I am -1 on the name zero. I don't think importing Data.Bits unqualified is uncommon at all, and zero is prime naming real estate. I am +0.5 on the addition overall, as most uses of Bits are with types that also have Num instances. If we are naming this thing, then I vote for zeroBits. Anthony

On Feb 22, 2014, at 5:03 AM, Herbert Valerio Riedel wrote:

Hello *,

Here's a mid-discussion summary of the proposal

...

...

Introduce a new class method

class Bits a where ... -- | Value with all bits cleared <0-value-method> :: a ...

modulo naming of '<0-value-method>'

from my point of view:

- The idea came up already in 2011 when Num-superclass was to be removed from Bits (but discussion derailed)

- So far general consensus (i.e. no "-1"s afaics) it's desired to have an all-bits-clear value introducing method in 'Bits'

- Use "clearBit (bit 0) 0" as default implementation for smooth upgrade-path

- Nameing for <0-value-method> boils down to two candidates:

a) 'Data.Bits.zero'

- based on the idea tha 'Data.Bits' ought to be imported qualified (or with explicit import-list) anyway (-> thus following PVP practice)

- many existing Data.Bits.Bits methods such as 'rotate', 'complement', 'popCount', 'xor', or 'shift' don't have the name 'bit' in it (and those few that have, operate on single bits)

- supporters (in no particular order):

- ARJANEN Loïc Jean David - Henning Thielemann - Herbert Valerio Riedel (+0.99) - Twan van Laarhoven

b) 'Data.Bits.zeroBits'

- more verbose name reduces risk of namespace conflicts with unqualified imports

- supporters (in no particular order):

- Edward Kmett - Eric Mertens - Herbert Valerio Riedel - Twan van Laarhoven - (maybe?) ARJANEN Loïc Jean David

So far there doesn't seem to be a very clear preference for 'zeroBits' over 'zero'. It might help, if those how expressed some kind of support for both variants could clarify if their preference has any bias towards 'zeroBits' or 'zero'.

Cheers, hvr _______________________________________________ Libraries mailing list Libraries@haskell.org http://www.haskell.org/mailman/listinfo/libraries