From: gwtmp01@...
Date: 2007-01-15T01:58:45+09:00
Subject: Re: Question about Array's size instance method


On Jan 14, 2007, at 9:23 AM, dblack@wobblini.net wrote:
> I'll just add, in case it helps with future understanding of something
> similar, that I don't think Ruby ever initializes an instance variable
> for you, without your specifically doing it (or implicitly, in the
> case of attr_*-generated methods).

Call me pedantic, but I think it is important to point out that Dave's
comment excludes Ruby's default initialization to nil for instance  
variables.

p Object.new.instance_variable_get('@foo')	# => nil

When learning Ruby, it took me a little while before I absorbed the  
fact that
nil behaves as an object as opposed to a special value (like C's NULL  
pointer)
indicating the lack of a referenced object.

Gary Wright