We have more space to work with for a strongly normalizing type (the strawman named std::text). I would prefer that views have no functions attached, just algorithms that operate on correctly shaped ranges. We got the strictly necessary constructor for string_view, so we can get back to std::string and null termination if someone has to. 

I'd also like to see the unicode algorithms as _algorithms_ that can operate over something that can be treated as a scalar value. 

If we had Contracts I might feel differently about a strong scalar value type, but without them, introducing an intermediate type is more likely to just cause needless casting without improving correctness. 

I also have concerns about the compiler doing the fusion of conversion of utf-8 into the unicode algorithms. Writing SIMD friendly versions, which can be insanely fast, is important. I know this contradicts my general position on algorithms. 

On Sat, Nov 9, 2019, 11:05 JeanHeyd Meneide <phdofthehouse@gmail.com> wrote:
On Sat, Nov 9, 2019 at 3:44 AM Lyberta <lyberta@lyberta.net> wrote:
Lyberta:
> JeanHeyd Meneide:
>> Absolutely, the default should be basic_string.
>
> I disagree but I didn't write a proposal yet so we'll talk later.

Although here's one of the big arguments why std::basic_string is really
badly designed:

http://www.gotw.ca/gotw/084.htm

And then if we note that Unicode code units have almost zero semantics,
we can remove 80% of the API.

As a counterpoint, there's no reason you can't just ignore the vestigal API on std::string. While a "bloated" interface, long gone are the days where a function you write has to appear in your final binary, or even in your object files.

I understand it's not ideal, but remember that introducing new vocabulary types means you need to compete with every single API that currently takes std::string. That's a lot of APIs you're risking no compatibility with, and explicit conversions means the user has a lot of typing to do. Try to think about how expensive that can be for the user if you introduce new basic types, and the compatibility you lose with code being written even today.

You can still propose such types, but please do be careful: it might not be the best use of your time for something Library Evolution Working Group (Incubator) will likely shoot down immediately.

Sincerely,
JeanHeyd
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