From: Cam <cameron.matheson@...>
Date: 2006-07-23T05:12:13+09:00
Subject: Re: Symbols vs. strings as hash_keys - interchangeable or not?

Hey,

On 7/22/06, Ezra Zygmuntowicz <ezmobius@gmail.com> wrote:
>         The symbol and string as hash key are specific to rails
> implementation of HashWithIndifferetnAccess. Thi is a hash that
> responds to string and symbol keys in the same way. This is not the
> behavior of the standard ruby Hash class. If you want this behavior
> then make your config hash be a HashWithIndifferentAccess instead of
> a normal hash. You can do this by changinf the header in your yaml
> file to this:

I've actually been wondering about this myself lately.. (just started
playing w/ rails for a webapp i had to write a couple days ago).  What
is the point of using symbols for the hash keys?  Is that just an
aesthetic thing? or does it have to be this way?

Thanks,
Cam