From: Chris Thiel <ccthiel@...>
Date: 2007-08-15T00:50:37+09:00
Subject: Re: change of Symbol to respond to intern?

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On 8/14/07, thomas.macklin@gmail.com <thomas.macklin@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I often find myself writing methods with the following form:
>
> def foo(sym_or_str)
>   @iv = sym_or_str
> end
>
> when I go to compare later vs @iv, I can do:
>
> def compare_vs_iv(arg)
>   if arg.to_s == @iv.to_s then
>     ...
>   end
>   ...
> end
>
> but I can't do:
>
> if arg.intern == @iv.intern then
>   ...
> end
>
> This is because symbols don't respond to intern.  Is there any good
> reason Symbol doesn't respond to intern, while String responds to
> to_s, Array responds, to to_a, etc.?  If not, I would like to propose
> that the intern method be added to Symbol at some point.
>
> Thoughts?
>
>
>

Not sure of the differences (if any) between #intern and #to_sym, but
symbols will respond to #to_sym and just return self.
If there aren't any differences between #intern and #to_sym, I'd agree,
#intern should be added to Symbol.

Chris

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