From: mark sparshatt <msparshatt@...>
Date: 2004-11-02T06:59:01+09:00
Subject: Re: Another scrach on head

mark sparshatt wrote:
> Ara.T.Howard@noaa.gov wrote:
> 
>> On Tue, 2 Nov 2004, mark sparshatt wrote:
>>
>>> then they'll be surprised when something like
>>>
>>> re = /./
>>> if re.match("a").true? then
>>> puts "match"
>>> end
>>>
>>> never prints match
>>
>>
>>
>> don't you think would suprise most newbies too?
>>
>>   harp:~ > cat a.rb
>>   re = /./
>>   if re.match("a") == true
>>     puts "match"
>>   end
>>
>>   harp:~ > ruby a.rb
>>   (nothing)
>>
> 
> The same way when a newbie working in C is surprised when comparing 
> against true sometimes fails.
> 
> Which is why I thought the create response when seeing someone writing
                              ^^^^^^

Should be correct. :-[

> 
> if a == true
> 
> was to hit them round the head with a clue stick and to say, don't do 
> that, do this
> 
> if a
> 
> ;-)
> 
> But if we add in a true? method then it'll be harder to explain that 
> this is the wrong thing to do.
> 
> Not that I'm against the idea. I'm just pointing out a potential problem.
> 
> -- 
> Mark Sparshatt
> 
>> i don't think there is anyway around that the fact that newbies must 
>> learn that
>> true (in ruby) is a singleton object and that fact can bite you many 
>> ways - and
>> this is not limited to only #true?
>>
> 
> -- 
> Mark Sparshatt
> 
>