From: matz@... (Yukihiro Matsumoto)
Date: 2000-06-15T02:15:08+09:00
Subject: [ruby-talk:03413] Re: Waffling between Python and Ruby

Hi,

In message "[ruby-talk:03407] Waffling between Python and Ruby"
    on 00/06/14, "Warren Postma" <embed@NOSPAM.geocities.com> writes:

|1. What is the Ruby equivalent of Python's ability to import a module and
|view its contents through code:
|
|            import somemodule
|            print dir(somemodule)

In Ruby, library files are mere aggregation of classes, modules and
code.  You can retrieve module's attrribute by Module#methods,
Module#instance_methods, etc.

|2. What is the Ruby equivalent of eval, and exec?

eval().  You don't have to distinguish expression and statement.

|3. Is there a decent Language Reference guide similar to Pythons?

Like `Python Essential Reference'?  Not yet.  Two great guys, who
wrote `The Pragmatic Programmers', are working on their book from
Addison Wesley.  This book contains good reference section.  Hopefully
it will be out in autumn.

Or like `Python Pocket Reference'?  I'm working on the Japanese
version from O'Reilly Japan.  I hope it will be translated to English
in the future.

In addition, check out http://www.ruby-lang.org/ and http://dev.rubycentral.com/
for free information.

|4. Is there a reference guide to writing extensions in C for Ruby similar to
|Pythons?

README.EXT in the distribution may help, although it's much smaller
than Pythons, partly because Ruby API is smaller than Pythons, mostly
because of my laziness (hey, I'm a mere programmer).  The book from
Addison Wesley contains the detailed description on this topic too.

|You want a killer Ruby feature?  I suggest static typing and a Ruby to C
|converter that accelerates 2x or more over ruby.

A guru wrote rb2c translator before.  It accomplished 20-60% gain in
average.  I'm planning to rewrite the core for performance gain.

Static typing..., hmm,...

							matz.