From: Robert Klemme <shortcutter@...>
Date: 2008-03-22T22:44:55+09:00
Subject: Re: including instance methods and setting an instance varia

On 22.03.2008 14:31, Rick DeNatale wrote:
> On 3/22/08, Robert Klemme <shortcutter@googlemail.com> wrote:
> 
>>  A small addition: modules are a nice case where accessing instance
>>  variables via accessor methods instead of directly pays off because then
>>  you can centralize initialization:
>>
>>  # a bit silly example
>>  module ItemManager
>>    def items
>>      @items ||= []
>>    end
> 
> I'd say that this defers rather than centralizes initialization. In
> fact it might be said that it decentralizes it, since the
> initialization of such instance variables don't occur in an initialize
> method.

I can see what you mean, but it is still in a *single* and hence central 
location.  The alternative would be to spread the @items ||= [] all over 
the methods defined in the module (maybe I should've mentioned that in 
the first place).  It's not as central as #initialize since that method 
is /usually/ (nut not always) used to initialize an object's state 
though, so I can 45% agree - but also have to 55% disagree. :-)

Kind regards

	robert