From: James Britt <james_b@...>
Date: 2006-02-04T11:38:35+09:00
Subject: Re: Ruby Syntax: 'initialize' versus 'init'

Clint Checketts wrote:
> While programming with Ruby, I've grown to love just how clear and concise
> the language is. (You all already know this of course).
> 
> So, why is the object constructor so long? I mean 'initialize' could easily
> be replaced with 'init' or even just plain 'new'.
> 
> In support of this idea, I've noticed that to_string() is written to_s. The
> same is with arrays, integers, and floats.
> 

I suspect people call to_* more often than they call initialize.

But, poor speller that I am, one of the first gvim macros I wrote to 
assist my Ruby hacking was a mapping that turned

   defi

into

   def initialize(  )

   end

So it became a non-issue for me.

(The other day I shoulder-surfed as someone coded Ruby using Notepad, 
and it was so painful to watch even my hair hurt.)

-- 
James Britt

"Blanket statements are over-rated"