From: Gregory Seidman <gsslist+ruby@...>
Date: 2006-03-29T00:50:35+09:00
Subject: Re: Why do some methods names which replace the content in place doesn't have the "!" sign?

On Wed, Mar 29, 2006 at 12:00:32AM +0900, dblack@wobblini.net wrote:
} On Tue, 28 Mar 2006, Robert Dober wrote:
} >and how can one modify a receiver without modifying its instance variables,
} 
}   str = "hello"
}   str.replace("goodbye")
} 
} I've changed str without any instance variables being involved.  Same
} with:
} 
}   array = [1,2,3]
}   array.pop
} 
} and so forth.

It's a technicality. Consider strings. Their internals are under the hood,
so you claim that no instance variables are involved. This is not
technically accurate. Object state happens to be held in C variables rather
than Ruby variables (which are, of course, backed by C variables), but they
are most certainly instance variables. Are you trolling or do you actually
believe you are right?

} David
--Greg