From: Ralph Shnelvar <ralphs@...32.com>
Date: 2009-11-30T06:08:51+09:00
Subject: Re: Class variables, instance variables, singleton; Ruby v.

DM> On Saturday 28 November 2009 02:42:08 pm Ralph Shnelvar wrote:
>> DM> It won't tell you how many Foo objects actually exist. It's more a
>>  count of DM> how many have ever been created.
>> 
>> Cool.
>> 
>> Is there a way to tell how many instances actually exist?  Is there
>> anything like a destructor for class instances?  Just curious.

DM> These are separate questions.

[snip]

DM> I suppose that's the fundamental difference -- in Java and C++, encapsulation
DM> can be enforced to some extent, while in Ruby, it can be easily circumvented.
DM> But Ruby makes it easy to write well-encapsulated code, while Java and C++
DM> make it annoying and tedious.

Oh, wow, what a great explanation!  Thanks for taking the time.  Wow.