From: "Ruth A. Kramer" <rhkramer@...>
Date: 2005-01-11T03:05:33+09:00
Subject: Re: Immediate values

Florian Gross wrote:
> I'd just say that Objects are in most cases represented by VALUEs. I'm
> not sure what you mean with "encoded instance variables".

(Not "picking" on Florian in particular, just needed a convenient quote
to respond to.) 

This thread confuses me, and I think it's at least partly by
"overloaded" use of the word "value". ;-)

For me, I'd like to separate address and value to the extent possible.

In my (surely incorrect) words (and based on my understanding of Ruby),
a variable representing an object holds the memory address of that
object.  The value of that object is something different, for example,
if the object is the number 2, the value of that object is its numeric
value, 2.

Yes, you can say that the value of the variable holding the reference to
the object is its memory address, but, to me, that just increases the
(potential for) confusion.  

Is there an agreed upon vocabulary for these things in Ruby?  If so,
what is it, if not, should there be?  

Randy Kramer