From: Logan Capaldo <logancapaldo@...>
Date: 2006-07-05T04:32:07+09:00
Subject: Re: About 1.9 #__method__ feature.


On Jul 4, 2006, at 3:21 PM, dblack@wobblini.net wrote:

> Hi --
>
> On Wed, 5 Jul 2006, Logan Capaldo wrote:
>
>>
>> On Jul 4, 2006, at 2:53 PM, dblack@wobblini.net wrote:
>>
>>> Can you show me an example?  I'm still not understanding.  I'm
>>> thinking of:
>>>
>>>  obj.funcall(:meth)
>>> but maybe there's a different/new syntax for funcall?  Is it now a
>>> top-level method?
>>> David
>>
>> meth is the "top level" method.
>>
>> e.g.:
>>
>> class A
>> def initialize
>>    jump_up_and_down( ) # look, I'm calling a "function" (No  
>> explicit receiver)
>> end
>> private
>> def jump_up_and_down( )
>>    ...
>> end
>> end
>>
>> That's why top level declared methods are private. It's to  
>> distinguish "function" methods from method methods. Hence the name  
>> "funcall" (call a "function")
>
> I don't like it.  It seems wrong to go through a non-functional style
> to tell an object to call something internally in a functional style,
> when in fact the "style" only referred to the lexical and
> typographical convention in the first place.
>
> Besides, if jump_up_and_down were not private, it could still be
> called with an implicit receiver in A#initialize.  I don't think that
> puts it in a different category of method.
>
> It also seems that the notion of a function (or "function method") is
> emerging in Ruby as a kind of side effect of the new method names.  I
> don't see anything here that can't be handled thoroughly without this
> notion.
>
>
> David
>
Well this is basically what matz. has said before, I just put my own  
words to it. The function method concept didn't come from the method  
name, matz. named the method #funcall based on his function method  
concept.

> -- 
>  "To fully realize the potential of Rails, it's crucial that you take
>    the time to fully understand Ruby--and with "Ruby for Rails" David
>       has provided just what you need to help you achieve that goal."
>       -- DAVID HEINEMEIER HANSSON, in the foreword to RUBY FOR RAILS.
>  Complete foreword & sample chapters at http://www.manning.com/black!
>