From: Martin Man <Martin.Man@...>
Date: 2002-02-15T21:45:27+09:00
Subject: Re: Keyword arguments (Was: File.open weirdness)


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On Fri, Feb 15, 2002 at 10:59:36AM +0900, Avi Bryant wrote:
> > And now see the beauty of smalltalk's position-fixed-named-arguments sy=
ntax
> > (something that even lisp doesn't have)
> >=20
> > [File open: "xxx" withMode: 0yyy]
>=20
> I can see you do more Obj-C than Smalltalk - in Smalltalk, [] creates
> a block, it's not necessary around message sends ;-).

sure, you caught me :-)

>=20
> I am a huge fan of Smalltalk's keyword syntax - it allows a method to
> have lots of meaningfully named minute variations (my favorite example
> is the trio of Dictionary methods at:, at:ifAbsent:, and
> at:ifAbsentPut: - try finding this last method in any other language)
> and has a nicely self-documenting rhythm.

yes, that's exactly what I tried to point out with my poor english skills...


>=20
> However, Matz has made it pretty clear that such syntax is not the
> Ruby Way... and to be honest, it would probably decrease Ruby's
> acceptance (unlike Smalltalk, Ruby can get under the radar of algol
> syntax bigots). =20
ah I see now, byt I quite don't understand what the Ruby Way is :-(

> If Smalltalk is what you want, you can always just
> use Smalltalk. ;-)
SmallTalk is what I want, but Ruby gives me the same in much more funny way,
so for now I'm sticking with Ruby :-))

btw: a few years ago I read somewhere a comment from someone who said: Peop=
le
in 20th century and in first 20 years of 21 century will not accept smallta=
lk
widely, just because they're not prepared to"

so perhaps sticking with old-fashioned syntax but providing new ideas could
make the Ruby do what SmallTalk/Objective-C wanted but never did (wide
acceptance)


just my 2 Czech Crowns,
martin

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