From: "W. Kent Starr" <elderburn@...>
Date: 2001-02-04T04:56:23+09:00
Subject: [ruby-talk:10318] Re: Local directory search "server" script

On Sat, 03 Feb 2001, Mark Slagell wrote:
> Mike Wilson wrote:

> Dunno about that.  This forum has always seemed to have an uncommonly
> high civility quotient, in that when you say something ambiguous, your
> civility tends to be assumed by everyone else.
> 

What's wrong with us? Are we some kind of rebel cult going against the flow of
flames? LOL

> It may just come down to having been told by someone, in the misty
> forgotten past, that globals were an unqualified evil. :-)
> 

Well, globals aren't _inherently_ evil; it is how they are used (as in is their
use justified and proper) that determines that. GOTO has acquired the same
reputation, although, carefully and cleverly used, it is justified.

In some languages globalization is assumed and local variables must be
specifically declared as such. In others, including Ruby, localization is
assumed and global variables must specifically be declared as such. Instance
variables are a special hybrid -- local at the class level but 'global' within
the class (i.e. visible to all methods)

Regards,

Kent Starr
elderburn@mindspring.com