[Haskell-cafe] Very silly

[Jonathan Cast]

On Mon, 2008-10-13 at 19:51 +0100, Andrew Coppin wrote:
> {-# LANGUAGE FlexibleInstances #-}
> 
> module Overload where
> 
> class Silly s where
>   go :: s
> 
> instance Silly ([x] -> [x]) where
>   go = reverse
> 
> instance Silly (Int -> Int) where
>   go = (+1)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Don't even ask.
> 
> Suffice it to say, you *can* make Haskell support arbitrary overloading 
> of function names like C++ has, _if_ you abuse the type system violently 
> enough. Please, won't somebody think of the children?!?

Flexible instances are extroardinarily useful:

instance Monad m => MonadState s (StateT s m)
instance MonadState t m => MonadState (s, t) (StateT s m)

is a useful and not entirely insane instance scheme.

But yeah, anyone who uses class Silly in real life should be banned from
coming within a 100 feet of any place where math, science, engineering,
or software development is carried out or taught.

I don't know if it's necessary for the good of the Children, but we need
to start thinking of the poor, defenseless computers as well...

jcc