From: Daniel DeLorme <dan-ml@...42.com>
Date: 2007-03-08T08:02:57+09:00
Subject: Re: object_* and instance_* methods

Rick DeNatale wrote:
>> But while I don't like the sound of "object_is_a?", I still like the
>> sound of "object_class" and "object_method". And I am starting to
>> realized that the reason is those methods represent /attributes/ of the
>> object while "is_a?" or "taint" are /actions/.
> 
> How is is_a? an action?  To me it looks like a predicate which is a
> truth-valued   function.

You are entirely right of course. I was thinking of "verb", really, and 
incorrectly converted that to "action" when in fact not all verbs are 
actions.

foo.method == foo's method (noun). what kind of method?
   -> foo.object_method
   -> foo.instance_method
   -> foo.birth_control_method
foo.send(message) == foo sends (verb) a message. what kind of message?
   -> foo.send_object(message)
   -> foo.send_instance(message)
   -> foo.send_email(message)

But even Matz chose instance_variable_get over get_instance_variable...

Daniel