Re: To all those who don't like ad-hoc overloading

[Manuel M. T. Chakravarty]

Kevin Atkinson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote,

> I take it that you are happy with names such as:
> 
[long list of names deleted]
>
> I *hate* languages that try to keep things too simple.  Which is one of
> the reasons I *hate* java.  Please don't make me *hate* Haskell for the
> same reason.

The problem with excessive overloading is that

(1) it is often cute in small programs, but bites you when
    software gets more complex, and
(2) it makes it harder for beginners.

Re (1): Consider the usage of different function names as a
form of additional documentation.

Re (2): There was some overloading in Haskell 1.4, which was
taken out in Haskell 98 exactly for this reason (usage of
list comprehensions for other monads than list and the
overloading of map and (++)).

Manuel