From: Laurent Sansonetti <laurent.sansonetti@...>
Date: 2008-10-09T06:38:38+09:00
Subject: [ruby-core:19229] Re: refute_{equal, match, nil, same} is not useful

On Wed, Oct 8, 2008 at 1:39 PM, Charles Oliver Nutter
<charles.nutter@sun.com> wrote:
> Fujioka wrote:
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Test/Unit was replaced to Miniunit.
>> Miniunit deprecated these 4 methods :
>>  assert_{not_equal, no_match, not_nil, not_same},
>> and replaced to refute_{equal, match, nil, same}
>> Ruby's assertion methods had 'assert' prefix.
>> But refute_ is not useful name because:
>> when I want to use assertion methods,
>>  I will enter 'assert' to search box.
>
> I dislike refute. Refute is to prove something wrong, not to prove the
> negative condition right. When writing tests I want to assert, not refute. I
> want to prove things are right, prove a behavior does what I expect...not
> disprove it.
>
> Refute is what the test does upon failure; it refutes my assertion by
> showing it fails. I put assertions into my test and hope the test run does
> not refute them.
>
> Look at the two primary definitions Google brings up:
>
>   1.  To prove to be false or erroneous; overthrow by argument or proof:
> refute testimony.
>   2. To deny the accuracy or truth of: refuted the results of the poll.
>
> I don't want to do either of these with my test conditions.
>

I agree with Charles. Also, I think that the miniruby APIs should all
start with assert, even if they sound bad in English. Ruby is not
English (lots of Rubyists are not even native English speakers).  We
need consistency. Please respect backward compatibility also.

Laurent