From: Nikolai Weibull <mailing-lists.ruby-talk@...>
Date: 2005-10-25T07:51:00+09:00
Subject: Re: A comparison by example of keyword argument styles

Berger, Daniel wrote:

> They will ALSO be relegated to answering all future emails from
> newbies wondering why some parameters support keywords and some don't.

I don’t quite understand what you mean here, but if you mean why not all
methods will support them then that’s simple to answer: most methods
don’t need keyword parameters.  Just like most methods don’t need
optional parameters.  To me, keyword parameters is all about getting
around defaults, i.e., the Common Lisp way.  I don’t see the point of
writing

ary.grep(regex: /…/)

I do see a point in writing

ary.grep(/…/, start: 3, end:5)

as an alternative to

ary[3..5].grep(/…/)

for when I’m searching a large array and I know that the elements I’m
looking for are in a certain range.  But I’m repeating myself…

        nikolai

-- 
Nikolai Weibull: now available free of charge at http://bitwi.se/!
Born in Chicago, IL USA; currently residing in Gothenburg, Sweden.
main(){printf(&linux["\021%six\012\0"],(linux)["have"]+"fun"-97);}