From: Ryan Leavengood <mrcode@...>
Date: 2005-07-19T00:58:20+09:00
Subject: Re: ruby-dev summary 26385-26467

Berger, Daniel said:
>
> What about simply altering String#to_a?
>
> String#to_a(bytes=false)
>    Returns the string as an array of characters, or bytes if the +bytes+
> argument is true.

I *strongly* dislike parameterizing methods like this. If you are going to
fundamentally alter the behavior of a method, just make a new method. That
way the new behavior is explicit.

If I read this code:

"str".to_a(true)

I will probably have to read the documentation for to_a to figure out what
the true means. Whereas this:

"str".to_bytes # Or whatever it is called

is essentially self-documenting.

> I've never really liked the current implementation, where "foo".to_a
> merely becomes ["foo"] - it just isn't useful usually.  However, I'm
> also aware that modifying String#to_a could cause major breakage for
> many current packages (mine included).  Is it worth it?  I'll let Matz
> decide.

The usefulness of the current String#to_a is certainly debateable, but
changing it is definitely too big of a change to be viable.

Ryan