[bsdetector]

This isn't simpler, it's smaller. In fact it's more complicated, since instead of 4 completely separate cases you have 4 half-cases and a default.

For instance, pass a positive int16 and you get the right answer, but pass a negative int16 and you get a useable but wrong answer instead of nil from the original.

[Donch]

It was an example of a language feature, that is short variable declarations in type switches, which avoid repetitive casting. The example below has the default clause which handles unknown types. I suppose the point is that you'd never actually do any of this because the method is disgusting.

Thanks for the downvote :-)