From: Jim Freeze <jim@...>
Date: 2005-05-01T04:58:23+09:00
Subject: Re: instantiating metaclasses, sorta [Was: determining when inside 'class << self']

* Mark Hubbart <discordantus@gmail.com> [2005-04-30 16:35:16 +0900]:

> While experimenting with this, I discovered something interesting: it
> is possible to instantiate a metaclass. By duping a metaclass, you
> regain the ability to instantiate it, apparently without losing any
> functionality.

As is said later, duping the object 'erases' the singleton methods
while 'cloning' carries them over.

I've always considered duping as a nice way of erasing the 'specialness'
of an object while returning it to its natural state.

  o = Object.new
  def o.inspect; `clear`; end
  p o         # clears the screen
  o = o.dup
  p o         # #<Object:0x3e3d4>

Try this in irb (but you don't need the 'p's)

-- 
Jim Freeze
Code Red. Code Ruby