Well, I could easily have made it "func Now" or whatever in my current package. The point is, adding type alias just gives you the ability to do for types what

Well, I could easily have made it "func Now" or whatever in my current package. The point is, adding type alias just gives you the ability to do for types what you can already do for variables and functions. It's true that the driving case (as presented by rsc) is co-reorganizations, but I think inevitably it'll get used for more than that. (Which is what many people who are opposed are afraid of.) I would not personally be a fan of making the feature so deliberately painful to "discourage" use. Either add it and make it as nice as you can, or don't. Why add ugly things to your language on purpose? :)