From: Rick DeNatale <rick.denatale@...>
Date: 2006-09-14T06:06:20+09:00
Subject: Re: Matrix

On 9/12/06, MonkeeSage <MonkeeSage@gmail.com> wrote:
> Rick DeNatale wrote:
> > Yes, you're missing the distinction between a variable which
> > references a sequence of objects over time, and the objects it
> > references.
> >
> > a = 1
> > a = 2
> >
> > Does NOT change 1 to 2.
>
> Hmm, I guess I wasn't clear, because that was my point (and another
> person also didn't understand me). My point was that n can be
> destructively altered by assignment, but its value (1) cannot be.

There is a very important distinction between variables and values,
that trips up a lot of programmers, and particularly programmers
coming to a uniformly object based language like Ruby.

I started a detailed reply here but it morphed into a blog article:
http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/articles/2006/09/13/on-variables-values-and-objects

I hope it helps someone.

-- 
Rick DeNatale

My blog on Ruby
http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/