From: dblack@...
Date: 2006-10-15T12:02:30+09:00
Subject: Re: What is the reason for this syntax?

Hi --

On Sun, 15 Oct 2006, rpardee@gmail.com wrote:

> dblack@wobblini.net wrote:
>> Hi --
>>
>> On Sun, 15 Oct 2006, rpardee@gmail.com wrote:
>>
>>> I confess I haven't really followed this thread carefully, but--I
>>> totally agree on the 'elsif' keyword.  Wouldn't it be possible for ruby
>>> to accept *either* spelling?
>>>
>>> If so, I would definitely advocate it--you don't lose anything for the
>>> perlsters, and those of us coming from other languages won't have to
>>> deal w/the IMHO surprising spelling.
>>>
>>> I remember dealing w/this same issue while learning pl/sql.  After
>>> staring at my modest program for like 40 minutes looking for the
>>> complained-of syntax error, I was bitter bitter bitter when I finally
>>> learned that I was expected to mis-spell 'else'...
>>>
>>> I actually thought ruby did this already--had to write a little script
>>> to verify that it doesn't...
>>
>> When you're using Ruby, it's best just to come from Ruby.  Then you
>> don't have to be surprised by things like this, or feel any resentment
>> toward Ruby for failing to be C or Java or whatever.  Languages do
>> lots of things differently from each other.  Some day they may all
>> converge, but that convergences doesn't have to be called Ruby :-)
>>
> But isn't almost everybody coming from *somewhere*?  This seems to me a
> cost-free change--a win-win...

But then if a Rubyist starts learning Java, Java has to change to make
the Rubyist happy.  And C has to change to make Haskell programmers
happy.  And Python has to change to make Smalltalk programmers happy.
And so on.

It seems to me it's best to break the cycle.  Of course languages
evolve from, and borrow from, each other.  But they don't incur an
obligation to add features and behaviors simply because practitioners
of other languages are used to those features and behaviors.  It's
better just to get used to the language you're using, when you're
using it.


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