From: Alex Combas <alex.combas@...>
Date: 2006-01-08T16:12:28+09:00
Subject: Re: Demystifying Symbols.

I'll be honest, as a rubynewbie I liked Jim's description of variables
better than any other description I've heard here so far,
and I'm going to go read his post on symbols and
see if that jives with me as well.

Jim's definition:
Variables are like dictionary definitions bound to an object.
VarA = VarB = ObjectZ

Explanation:
If you looked up the definition of VarA in our dictionary it would say 'ObjectZ'
and likewise if you looked up the definition for VarB in our
dictionary it would say 'ObjectZ'.

No, pointer, no container, no pigeon hole or shoebox.. just a strait forward
term bound to a definition.

This maps nicely to the real world where you can look up the word 'house cat'
in a dictionary and find that it maps to 'small domesticated
carnivorous mammal', the cat
doesn't 'point' to a carnivore in a pigeon hole, and it doesn't
'contain' a carnivore in a shoebox. 'House cat' is simply a term bound
to a definition in our dictionary.

In this dictionary more than one variable is permitted to be bound to
the same object:
small_dog = house_cat = 'small domesticated carnivorous mammal'

In a real dictionary terms are bound to descriptions, but in the ruby
dictionary
of variables we would say terms are bound to objects, this boils down
to exactly the same thing.

Grok?

--
Alex Combas
http://noodlejunkie.blogspot.com/