Evil use of Maybe monad and extension methods in C#?

Question

edit 2015 This question and its answers are no longer relevant. It was asked before the advent of C# 6, which has the null propagating opertor (?.)

Answer 1

I'm not too crazy about either solution. What was wrong with ashorter version of the original:

string activeControlName = null;
if (Form.ActiveForm != null)
    if (Form.ActiveForm.ActivControl != null) activeControlname = activeControl.Name;

If not this, then I would look at writing a NotNullChain or FluentNotNull object than can chain a few not null tests in a row. I agree that the IfNotNull extension method acting on a null seems a little weird - even though extension methods are just syntactic sugar.

I think Mark Synowiec's answer might be able to made generic.

IMHO, I think the C# core team should look at the this "issue", although I think there are bigger things to tackle.