From: Rick DeNatale Date: 2006-09-01T09:39:10+09:00 Subject: Re: Ruby Books On 8/31/06, John Johnson wrote: > On Thu, 31 Aug 2006 13:52:45 -0400, Rick DeNatale > wrote: > > > I've got a few quibbles with some of why's terminology, which may lead > > the unaware off track. > > > > For example in the "Parts of speech chapter" which occurs fairly soon: > > http://www.poignantguide.net/ruby/chapter-3.html#section2 he says: > > > > " front_door.open > > > > In the above, open is the method. It is the action, the verb. " > > > > Well, open here isn't really a method, it's a name which is used to > > find a particular method. It gets turned into the symbol :open, then > > a search is done for a method which is associated with that symbol, > > starting with the (singleton) class of the object referenced by > > front_door, and proceeding up the superclass chain. So it's a verb, > > but it's not really an action, 'sit' is a verb, but it produces very > > different actions depending on whether it's said to a person, a dog, a > > robot, or something else. > > Nothing personal, but if that paragraph were in why's guide, you wouldn't > have heard of why's guide. It is sufficient to omit some detail in > introductions. Much like saying, "When you press the accelerator, the car > goes faster." Omitting details like fuel injector timing, spark timing, O2 > sensor feedback, etc. is acceptable. I've got no quibble with the poetry, in fact I admire the offbeat nature of the work, and I'd never suggest inserting what was intended as explanatory criticism. On the other hand, poetry is about careful choice of wording, and since the book goes pretty deeply into metaprogramming by the end, a little more careful choice of words at the beginning might be a good thing. -- Rick DeNatale My blog on Ruby http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/