From: Patrick Doyle <wpdster@...>
Date: 2008-10-08T01:53:08+09:00
Subject: Re: class << self

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Returning to this topic after a brief hiatus being distracted by other
concerns...

Would it be fair to say that 99% of the time there is no difference between
the definitions of A#a, A#b, and A#c?

class A
  def self.a
    puts "self.a"
  end

  def A.b
    puts "A.b"
   end

  class << self
    def c
      puts "A.c"
    end
  end
end

It seems that the construct:

class << self
  def x
  end

  def y
  end

  def z
  end
end

might be used primarily as a typing shortcut and that 99% of the time that's
all it is.

Would it be fair to say that 100% of the time there is absolutely no
difference between A#a and A#b?

Is it fair to say that the 1% of the time that there's a difference between
A#a and A#c is for constant lookup?

FWIW, I do see a difference between

class A
  class << self
    def blah
    end
  end
end

and

something = A.new()
class << something
  def something_very_specific_to_this_something()
  end
end

and that's a nifty trick.  Someday I might even find myself coding something
that just cries out for that trick.  Thanks Suraj for showing that to me.

--wpd

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