From: Dan <dan.macdaddy+ruby@...>
Date: 2007-08-21T15:12:18+09:00
Subject: (String * Fixnum) and (Fixnum * String)

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Just a small quick question:

String * Fixnum works:

"test " * 4
   => test test test test


while Fixnum * String doesn't:

4 * "test "
     TypeError: String can't be coerced into
Fixnum
          from (irb):19:in
`*'
          from (irb):19

I understand that ruby being strongly typed means you can only do "sensible"
things with the types you are working with. However, aren't the examples
above pretty much equivalent? or is it a precedence thing? Trying to answer
my own question is it because the "*" operator for a Fixnum only accepts
another Fixnum/Bignum, while the "*" operator for a String only allows a
Fixnum, because it sure doesn't let you do String * String (and why would
you really).

Someone please help me grasp this :)     Thanks

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