[swift-evolution] [Review] SE-0107: UnsafeRawPointer API

[Brad Hilton]

* What is your evaluation of the proposal?
-1. It seems like the author is trying to solve a non-problem. The pointer APIs already work very well with enough due warning that they are unsafe. This change will just make them even more cumbersome to work with.
* Is the problem being addressed significant enough to warrant a change to Swift?
No, I don’t think so, and if it were it would be too significant to be considered in scope for Swift 3.
* Does this proposal fit well with the feel and direction of Swift?
It’s a valid Swift API, I just feel it makes the UnsafePointer family more complex than it needs to be.
* If you have used other languages or libraries with a similar feature, how do you feel that this proposal compares to those?
Swift’s approach to memory access has been unique in my programming experience and I like it for its power and simplicity.
* How much effort did you put into your review? A glance, a quick reading, or an in-depth study?
I read most of the proposal and have done a lot of work with the existing pointer APIs. Again I feel this is adding needless complexity and doesn’t actually change what you can do with the API.

> Hello Swift community,
> 
> The review of “SE-0107: UnsafeRawPointer API” begins now and runs through July 4, 2016. The proposal is available here:
> 
> https://github.com/apple/swift-evolution/blob/master/proposals/0107-unsaferawpointer.md
> 
> Reviews are an important part of the Swift evolution process. All reviews should be sent to the swift-evolution mailing list at
> 
> https://lists.swift.org/mailman/listinfo/swift-evolution
> 
> or, if you would like to keep your feedback private, directly to the review manager.
> 
> What goes into a review?
> 
> The goal of the review process is to improve the proposal under review through constructive criticism and contribute to the direction of Swift. When writing your review, here are some questions you might want to answer in your review:
> 
> * What is your evaluation of the proposal?
> * Is the problem being addressed significant enough to warrant a change to Swift?
> * Does this proposal fit well with the feel and direction of Swift?
> * If you have used other languages or libraries with a similar feature, how do you feel that this proposal compares to those?
> * How much effort did you put into your review? A glance, a quick reading, or an in-depth study?
> 
> More information about the Swift evolution process is available at
> 
> https://github.com/apple/swift-evolution/blob/master/process.md
> 
> Thank you,
> 
> -Chris Lattner
> Review Manager
> 
> 
>