mastry (u/mastry) - Readit News

mastry commented on Microsoft keeps adding stuff into Windows we don't need theregister.com/2025/08/1... · Posted by u/rntn

Someone1234 · 7 days ago

Could you give some examples of the bloat they've added to C# that represent their "seriously screwed up priorities" aside from not adding Sum?

mastry · 7 days ago

See the links I listed above. None of those features solved a language problem as large as the lack of sum types. It baffles me that they even spent time on them before providing a feature that is in such high demand (and has been for more than a decade).

I understand that you shouldn’t always give users what they ask for - but this is something that has picked up steam in other languages because it’s actually useful and makes code bases easier to maintain.

mastry commented on Microsoft keeps adding stuff into Windows we don't need theregister.com/2025/08/1... · Posted by u/rntn

shiandow · 7 days ago

If you're creative about it you can make an interface for what is essentially a sum type.

All it takes is a method signature like:

   Z read<Z>(Func<A,Z> readA, Func<B,Z> readB)

It's a bit of a Yoneda embedding like way of forcing it in to the language, but hey it works.

mastry · 7 days ago

Yep, this is exactly the approach we take. It works ok-ish, but it’s far from elegant. In our case ‘read’ is ‘Switch’. I think it’s a fairly common pattern in C# these days.

mastry commented on Microsoft keeps adding stuff into Windows we don't need theregister.com/2025/08/1... · Posted by u/rntn

Someone1234 · 7 days ago

Yeah, I'd like to see this too...

We're discussing Windows and all its ad-ware/invasive changes, and someone brings up C# without giving a real explanation or examples.

The last few C# versions brought primary constructors, collection expressions, records(!), tons of Span<T> improvements/support, etc. I just flicked through the list, and nothing that stuck out to me as being bloated.

The main bloat C# has is older stuff that you really shouldn't be using anymore (e.g. ArrayList, dynamic, Thread, delegate keyword, etc).

mastry · 7 days ago

> We're discussing Windows and all its ad-ware/invasive changes, and someone brings up C#

I brought up C# because the article discusses a Microsoft Windows design philosophy that I feel is also reflected in their approach to C#. It’s a Microsoft thing.

I agree with you that the examples you mention were great additions to the language! But I still think the C# design team has some seriously screwed up priorities. My theory is that this one year cycle they are on is hampering their ability to make changes (like sum types) that require more than a year of work.

mastry commented on Microsoft keeps adding stuff into Windows we don't need theregister.com/2025/08/1... · Posted by u/rntn

bestouff · 7 days ago

It's very clunky

mastry · 7 days ago

Yes, very clunky. One of the big issues with this approach is that switch expressions still require a default branch because there’s no way in C# to express a completely closed set. This makes future changes to the set (sum type) hazardous.

They continue to fiddle with design approaches to solve this. See https://github.com/dotnet/csharplang/blob/main/meetings/2025...

mastry commented on Microsoft keeps adding stuff into Windows we don't need theregister.com/2025/08/1... · Posted by u/rntn

orthoxerox · 7 days ago

Could you list the features you consider crap?

mastry · 7 days ago

Here are some. I’m not saying these are all completely useless, but all of them should have taken a back seat to sum types.

- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/whats-new/cs...

mastry commented on Microsoft keeps adding stuff into Windows we don't need theregister.com/2025/08/1... · Posted by u/rntn

mastry · 8 days ago

They're doing the same thing with C#. The amount crap they have added to that language over the years is mind boggling - yet, we still don't have sum types which is the one thing that every C# developer I have worked with _really_ wants.

mastry commented on Kodak says it might have to cease operations [updated] cnn.com/2025/08/12/busine... · Posted by u/mastry

throw0101a · 11 days ago

> I assume this means payments to retirees.

You assume wrong. From November 2024:

> According to the company, the plan’s liabilities to qualifying participants would be satisfied through a combination of lump sum distributions and an annuity purchased from an insurance company to cover existing obligations. Kodak, like many corporate pension plans, is in a funding surplus; it has significantly more assets than liabilities owed to plan beneficiaries and participants.

* https://www.ai-cio.com/news/kodak-considers-terminating-over...

> Kodak retirees would receive an annuity from an insurance company. Current employees, as well as former employees who haven’t yet reached retirement, would be given an option to either receive a lump sum of their balance, or an annuity once they retire. Plan participants wouldn’t see a change in the value of the benefits that have been promised to them, executives said.

> Kodak expects to put a new retirement plan in place for current employees if it terminates the pension. The company hasn’t yet determined whether it would provide a defined-benefit or defined-contribution plan, such as a 401(k). The company would need to have a new plan designed and in place within about a year, executives said.

* https://www.wsj.com/articles/kodak-prepares-to-terminate-u-s...

The money in the pension fund, at least up to an amount needed to satisfy current liabilities, is the property of employees and Kodak has no right to it. It is the surplus that was taken back by Kodak last year, and future payments are the ones that are ceasing. Per WSJ above another retirement plan system will be setup for current employees.

mastry · 11 days ago

Ah - that's good to hear. Thanks for the extra information.

mastry commented on Kodak says it might have to cease operations [updated] cnn.com/2025/08/12/busine... · Posted by u/mastry

mastry · 11 days ago

> Kodak aims to conjure up cash by ceasing payments for its retirement pension plan.

I assume this means payments to retirees. It's a good reminder that (if you can help it) you should not rely 100% on any external source (including the government) for your retirement income.