From: Sean O'Dell <sean@...>
Date: 2004-06-29T03:04:21+09:00
Subject: Re: Is it considered Harmful?

On Monday 28 June 2004 10:14, Hal Fulton wrote:
> Sean O'Dell wrote:
> >>With just #become (no class=), you can't create objects whose
> >>#initialize is not called.  It's just like swapping variables, except
> >>all variables that point to the pointee are affected.
> >
> > You can't do that with #class= either.  You can only call #class= on
> > objects that exist, hence they've been initialized.  The new class might
> > not know what to do with the object, but the object certainly has already
> > been initialized.
>
> You're missing his point.
>
> If I call Array.new, I certainly get an array whose #initialize
> has been called.
>
> But if I then do arr.class = Net::HTTP, then Net:HTTP#initialize
> does NOT get called (e.g., to set the host name or whatever).

Ah...I see why I haven't connected with that issue now.  I think of this as a 
"buyer beware" issue.  If you change an existing object's class, be sure you 
change it to something that understands the object it is receiving.  I think 
even #become would have these problems.  Even using include could introduce 
methods to a class which didn't initialize instance data the way it expects.

	Sean O'Dell