From: Robert Dober <robert.dober@...>
Date: 2006-10-07T03:09:14+09:00
Subject: Re: nil being empty

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On 10/6/06, dblack@wobblini.net <dblack@wobblini.net> wrote:
>
> Hi --
>
> On Fri, 6 Oct 2006, Robert Dober wrote:
>
> > On 10/6/06, dblack@wobblini.net <dblack@wobblini.net> wrote:
> >>
> >> On Fri, 6 Oct 2006, Ohad Lutzky wrote:
> >>
> >> > Show of hands - who thinks this is bad form?
> >> >
> >> > class NilClass
> >> >  def empty?; true; end
> >> > end
> >>
> >> /me raises hand.
> >
> >
> > I feel this being an unnecessary generalization.
> > Probably it is  very often  not the best  way to  treat the problem, bu=
t
> > it might as easily be the most elegant.
> > Instead of raising your hand David, please speak out ;)
>
> The idea of measuring whether or not nil is "empty" is like measuring
> whether or not 1001 is "blue", or defining a method called
> FalseClass#scan(regex).


Yes David I agree 100%, but...
sometimes nil might be a natural model for something considered empty,
anyway I *cannot* come up with a useful example, all examples I have seen
seem to  indicate that you are right, you, James,  Ara, but, but
I have a very great dislike for Dogmas.
Probably we would all, even me ;) recognize a useful example, I dunno.

> Now it would be unfair to ask others for their wisdom without delivering
> my
> > own (as small as it might be).
> >
> > If you define your small little NilClass monkeypatch above because you
> had
> > nils where you expected containers, guess what I think of your code ;)
> > If on the other hand the NilClass Emptyness is integral part of your
> design,
> > document it well and go ahead!
> > Ruby is a Tool not a Religion. (well at least I think so ;)
>
> Since Ruby lets you define or not define nil#empty?, not defining it
> is no more "religious", in the sense I think you mean it, than
> defining it -- and in general, religious imagery is about as related
> to programming as empty? is to nil :-)  It's just a discussion about
> best practices.
>
>
> David
>
> --
>                    David A. Black | dblack@wobblini.net
> Author of "Ruby for Rails"   [1] | Ruby/Rails training & consultancy [3]
> DABlog (DAB's Weblog)        [2] | Co-director, Ruby Central, Inc.   [4]
> [1] http://www.manning.com/black | [3] http://www.rubypowerandlight.com
> [2] http://dablog.rubypal.com    | [4] http://www.rubycentral.org
>
>


--=20
Deux choses sont infinies : l'univers et la b=EAtise humaine ; en ce qui
concerne l'univers, je n'en ai pas acquis la certitude absolue.

- Albert Einstein

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