[ruby-core:18080] Re: New array methods cycle, choice, shuffle (plus bug in cycle)

Hi,

In message "Re: [ruby-core:18074] Re: New array methods cycle, choice, shuffle (plus bug in cycle)"
    on Sat, 2 Aug 2008 06:43:56 +0900, David Flanagan <[e-mail]> writes:

|If we agree that there is a use-case for adding #sample to the API, then
|I would also argue again for #sample! which removes the sampled elements 
|from the array.  There is no way to write #sample! based on #sample and 
|I'd imagine that it would be usefule.
|
|If the method doesn't take an argument and always returns a single 
|element, then I'd prefer #rand or #random_element (or just removing the 
|method) to #choose or #sample.

Here are choices:

* Array#rand (or random, or random_element): pick one random element
  from an array.  some might confuse the method to behave like
  #shuffle though.

* Array#sample: this method can take an optional argument for element
  number.  Like #first, the method returns an array if an argument is
  given.

* Array#choice:  keep the current method.  We already have some
  noun-named methods, e.g. first.  This method can also be extended to
  take an optional argument.

Perhaps we should do vote on those candidates.  Should we set up
voting site for method names?

							matz.