Import fails to bind package name in preference to class definition in package

[som-snytt]

reproduction steps

using Scala 2.13.3,

++ ./a/internal/C.scala

package a.internal

class C
++ ./b/Test.scala

package b

import a._

class Probe extends internal

object Test extends App {
  println(new Probe)
}
++ ./b/internal.scala

package b

class internal

problem

scalac prefers the wrong binding for internal and compilation succeeds.

dotc:

-- [E093] Syntax Error: ./b/Test.scala:6:6 -------------------------------------
6 |class Probe extends internal
  |      ^
  |      class Probe cannot extend final package a.internal

longer explanation available when compiling with `-explain`
-- Error: ./b/Test.scala:6:20 --------------------------------------------------
6 |class Probe extends internal
  |                    ^^^^^^^^
  |                    a.internal does not have a constructor
2 errors found

If instead

package b
object internal

then

./b/Test.scala:9: error: package a.internal is not a value
  println(internal)
          ^
1 error

Reported at scala/scala3#9899

[som-snytt]

This is not a bug. Packages dwell in the term namespace.

https://scala-lang.org/files/archive/spec/2.13/09-top-level-definitions.html#packagings

The spec makes this clear: "unlike other objects, they can't be used as values, only in selections. Other terms/types can't have the same fully qualified name." [paraphrased. -Ed.]