Nile Everything! Enhance normal arithmetics (like +, *, #max and so on) by "protected" alternatives (like +@, *@, #max_protected and so on). Now you can use expression like c := a /@ b without checking a isNil, b isNil, b isZero; you can write something like myArray sum_protected without checking if myArray isNil, myArray isEmpty, or hold nil's inside. Smart approach is used, so 0 +@ nil = 0 , but nil +@ nil = nil (see wiki page for full list of the rules (SOON!))