[swift-evolution] [Design Question] Unexpected forced optional unwrapping behavior

[Michael Henson]

I've spent some time exploring different aspects of the language's type
system and came across a case where I wanted to know the type of the thing
an optional might hold, if it exists. The direct type of an optional
variable is, unsurprisingly, an optional:

> var example: String? = "example"
example: String? = "example"
> example.dynamicType
$R1: String?.Type = String?


Ok, that didn't work. What if I dereference?

> example!.dynamicType
$R2: String.Type = String

Ok. What if the optional doesn't currently have a value? Does this still
work?

> example = nil
$R3: String.Type = String

That's odd. I expected it not work, given how forced unwrapping of nil
optionals usually turns out.

Is this explicitly intended behavior, something that really shouldn't work
and shouldn't be relied on, or... other?

Mike
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