Why doesn't this typecheck?
compress xs@(_:_:_) = (ifte <$> ((==) <$> head <*> head.tail) <$> ((compress.).(:) <$> head <*> tail.tail) <*> ((:) <$> head <*> compress.tail) ) xs

compress xs@(_:_:_) = (ifte (((==) <$> head <*> head.tail) xs) (((compress.).(:) <$> head <*> tail.tail) xs) (((:) <$> head <*> compress.tail) xs))

Couldn't match expected type `[a]' with actual type `[a] -> [a]'
    In the expression:
        (ifte <$> ((==) <$> head <*> head . tail)
     <$>
       ((compress .) . (:) <$> head <*> tail . tail)
   <*>
     ((:) <$> head <*> compress . tail))
      $ xs
    In an equation for `compress':
        compress xs@(_ : _ : _)
          = (ifte <$> ((==) <$> head <*> head . tail)
         <$>
           ((compress .) . (:) <$> head <*> tail . tail)
       <*>
         ((:) <$> head <*> compress . tail))
          $ xs

compress::Eq a => [a]->[a]
compress [] = []
compress (x:[]) = (x:[])
compress (x:y:xs) = ifte ((==) x y) (compress (x:xs)) (x:(compress (y:xs)))

compress =
  ifte <$> ((==) <$> head <*> head.tail)
       <$> ((compress.).(:) <$> head <*> tail.tail)
       <*> ((:) <$> head <*> compress.tail)

compress =
  ifte <$> ((==) <$> head <*> head.tail)
       <*> ((compress.).(:) <$> head <*> tail.tail)
       <*> ((:) <$> head <*> compress.tail)

compress (x:r@(y:_)) = ifte (x==y) id (x:) $ compress r

compress = map fst . filter (uncurry (/=)) . (zip <$> id <*> tail)

{-# LANGUAGE NoMonomorphismRestriction #-}
import Control.Applicative

u = ((==) <$> head <*> head.tail)
v = ((compress.).(:) <$> head <*> tail.tail)
w = ((:) <$> head <*> compress.tail)

ifte = ( x y z -> if x then y else z)

--compress xs@(_:_:_) = (ifte <$> u <$> v <*> w) xs
compress xs@(_:_:_) = (ifte (u xs) (v xs) (w xs))

--compress xs@(_:_:_) = (ifte <$> u <*> v <*> w) xs

import Control.Applicative

ifte :: Bool -> a -> a -> a
ifte b t f = if b then t else f

compress :: Eq a => [a] -> [a]
-- compress = ifte <$> cond <$> t <*> f
-- We will leave compress undefined so we can load this into ghci.
-- After some trial and error it is clear that this is the part
-- that doesn't type check
compress = undefined

cond :: Eq a => [a] -> Bool
cond = (==) <$> head <*> head . tail

t :: Eq a => [a] -> [a]
t = (compress .) . (:) <$> head <*> tail . tail

f :: Eq a => [a] -> [a]
f = (:) <$> head <*> compress . tail

f <$> a <*> b <*> c <*> d <*> ...

ghci> :t ifte <$> cond <$> t <*> f
... Eq a => [a] -> [a] -> [a]

ghci> :t compress
... Eq a => [a] -> [a]

ifte :: Bool -> [a] -> [a] -> [a]
cond :: [a] -> Bool
t    :: [a] -> [a]
f    :: [a] -> [a]

-- desired result
     :: [a] -> [a]

arg1 :: (a -> b -> c -> d)
arg2 :: f a
arg3 :: f b
arg4 :: f c
res  :: f d

-- for our case,
-- f = ([a] ->)
-- a = Bool
-- b = [a]
-- c = [a]
-- d = [a]

liftA3 f a b c = f <$> a <*> b <*> c