From: Robert Klemme <bob.news@...>
Date: 2004-09-30T15:05:03+09:00
Subject: Re: Too Many Ways?


"Gavin Kistner" <gavin@refinery.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag 
news:C3144C65-1285-11D9-BDE2-000A959CF5AC@refinery.com...
> At what point do you cross over from:
> "Various ways to accomplish the same goal is good,
> because it allows the language to work the way
> different people think about working."
> into the land of:
> "Duplicate names and techniques to do the same
> atomic thing ends up confusing the nubys"
> ?
>
> results = my_array.collect{ ... }
> results = my_array.map{ ... }

IMHO these were introduced to match other languages notations.  I think it 
makes life easier for newcomers.

> a = Proc.new{ ... }
> b = lambda{ ... }

Same here.

> def whee; ...; end
> c = self.method( :whee )

These are two completely different cups of tea.

> def foo &blockAsBlock
> blockAsBlock.call
> yield
> end

Same here: the &b notation converts the block into a proc making it possible 
to store it somewhere or pass it on.

> def bar blockAsParam
> blockAsParam.call
> end

I'd consider this a different case, too, because here the block can't be 
handed over via "foo { ... }".

> Regexp globals vs. MatchData
> #insert your own examples here

*That* is an area where I definitely like to see improvements (see the 
thread some time ago about String#scan and MatchData).

On the whole I feel pretty comfortable with the way Ruby does things 
although I recognize a certain tendency to increase redundancy ("lambda" and 
"proc" comes to mind).  As far as I remember I wasn't confused when I was a 
RubyNuby.  But then again, everybody feels different about this.

Kind regards

    robert