From: Austin Ziegler <halostatue@...>
Date: 2005-05-06T22:08:54+09:00
Subject: Re: object reference handle (like perl's reference to scalar)

On 5/6/05, dave.burt@gmail.com <dave.burt@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Can someone give me an example of a time you need an extra level
>> of indirection?
> A reference can sort of replace itself with another object.
> 
> An Integer is immutable, but a reference to an integer can be
> changed to any other object.
> 
> a = [1, 2, 3].map {|i| i.ref }
> a.each {|i|
>   i[] = 5.1 if i == 2
> end
> 
> Something analogous to the above might be better (clearer?) than
> #map or #each_with_index in some cases.

I disagree. After all, you've had to use map to replace the integers
with Ref-to-integer in the first place.

I still haven't seen any reason that this would be necessary -- or
even useful -- in Ruby. (IMO, John Carter's nil-as-message eater
would be more useful. And I think it's clear how useful I think
*that* is.)

-austin
-- 
Austin Ziegler * halostatue@gmail.com
               * Alternate: austin@halostatue.ca