From: Roger Johansson <roger.johansson@...>
Date: 2006-06-24T08:04:09+09:00
Subject: Re: class << self?

Ok, thanks I think im sort of getting the picture now :-P

"MyType" is an instance of class "Class".
this instance has a metaclass , which holds the static methods for 
MyType.

eg in pseudo c#ish code:

RubyClass MyType = new RubyClass();
MyType.Meta = new RubyMetaClass();
MyType.Meta.StaticMethods.Add("some_method",args);

would that be a correct view of the object/class relations in this case?

this seems fair enough but what I dont get is why are static methods and 
instance methods stored in different places?

in other languages(or rather implementations of languages) instance 
methods are just syntax sugar for a static method with a "this" pointer 
as the first arg. but they are still stored at the same palce.

what I dont get is why I only need to do the "class << self" thing when 
aliasing static methods and not instance methods.

Why are the instance methods accessable in the context of MyType ?


...hmmm.. maybe I get it now ..


the meta class is a runtime class which has the actual static methods as 
real methods , not just a list of methods as in my pseudo sample?

it would be more like:

RubyClass MyType = new RubyClass();
MyType.Meta = new ConcreteMetaClassForMyType(); //<--

and every call to a static method is just directed to the meta class?
and since MyType is not only an instance of Class , it is also a 
"class",
so MyType is a class that has the instance methods.
and the meta has the static methods of MyType as instance methods?

or should I go to sleep now?
this is weird :-P

//Roger

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