Add capability for working with type sums and products

[xsebek]

There should be some capability(ies) and device(s) for working with type sums (alternative) and products (tuples):

• sums: Inl, Inr, Case
• products: Fst, Snd

It would help with organically introducing the language features in-game, provide a reference in entity description and also get notified about it by flashing command help as you obtained new capability.

Ideas:

• printer + calculator --> typing device that would allow both sums and products, with the explanation that you are performing arithmetic on types
  • the downside is that calculator is hard to make, so maybe the typing device could also provide normal arithmetic?

[byorgey]

Hah, I like the idea of making some kind of upgraded calculator to do type arithmetic. And having it also provide normal arithmetic sounds fine. Some additional bikeshedding thoughts:

• I don't see what a printer has to do with anything.
  • Maybe a calculator + some sort of flying/lifting device (because you are doing arithmetic "lifted up to the type level")?
    • Maybe we could make a (difficult-to-construct) wings device which would also provide robots the ability to fly over mountains, boulders, and water?
    • That could be fun regardless of what we decide about this issue.
  • Oh, hmm, maybe you meant it as a pun on typing? How about changing the name of a printer to typewriter? 😄 Then the recipe could be typewriter + calculator like you suggested.
• I'd like to come up with a funnier / less generic name than typing device. smart calculator seems too obvious. type-level calculator is also too generic and maybe too long. Hmm, how about an ADT calculator, and we make a joke in the description that says it stands for advanced display technology (since it can now print out answers using the typewriter, of course 😄 )? Just brainstorming here, very open to other ideas.

[xsebek]

Typewriter was what I was going for. 👍

I am not sure what the in-word-description of such advanced display technology would be, but I am all for more jokes and puns! 😄