From: Pedro Silva <ei04065@...>
Date: 2008-09-17T16:14:50+09:00
Subject: Re: SuperClass and Modules

Hi Shilesh,

> My confusion is that there can be many modules either included or
> extended to a Ruby class where as only one Parent class is allowed [as
> in java] in Ruby... why so..? 

Multiple inheritance has one big problem usually denominated as "the 
diamond problem". Check this link: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_problem.
Ruby using single inheritance plus mixins gives almost the same 
advantages without these problems.

> Is it something to do with Meta classes in
> Ruby.. ?

Metaclasses have nothing to do with it. A metaclass/ghost 
class/singleton class/eigenclass is class that Ruby introduces in the 
inheritance chain to allow to define singleton methods (object specific 
methods), just that. ;)

Pedro Silva.
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