Problem: Haskell has both no standard way to resolve module names to implementations and no easy way to experiment with different solutions. For example, I would like to experiment with a resolver that uses a lookup table to map module names to URLs of module implementations. Proposal: 1. Define a standard resolver module module Resolve where type Resolver = Args -> ModuleName -> IO HaskellSource resolve::Resolver 2. Require that Haskell compilers allow users to supply resolvers e.g. ghci -r ../../Resolve.hs -Alex- PS This request is the output of discussion I was having with Dimitry Golubovsky (and others). ______________________________________________________________ S. Alexander Jacobson tel:917-770-6565 http://alexjacobson.com On Fri, 29 Apr 2005, Dimitry Golubovsky wrote:
Alex,
Quoting your message in Libraries:
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We should think of module names as being like domain names, and module implementations as being like IP addresses. Just as the owner of a domain name determines valid IP addresses for it, the owner of a module name should be able to determine valid implemementations. Just as you can't provide domain name resolution for domain names you don't own, you should not be able to provide module name resolution for module names you don't own.
We need a Module Name System analogous to the Domain Name System. Haskell compilers should be able to query a root server to find which MNS server is authoritative for a particular module name. A query to that MNS server should result in URLs for implementations of that module.
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Some time ago I wrote up on Haskell-cafe:
http://www.haskell.org//pipermail/haskell-cafe/2005-March/009515.html
about proposed mechanism of module name resolution. What do you think? This can be done flexible enough with minimal changes to the compiler (just make it open a pipe instead of a file) and letting an external program do the business.
Nobody answered though.
I am writing off-list, but if you find my ideas useful feel free to move the discussion to Libraries or Cafe.
-- Dimitry Golubovsky
Anywhere on the Web