From: Robert Klemme <shortcutter@...>
Date: 2011-12-02T17:25:56+09:00
Subject: Re: Why are there so many similar/identical methods in core classes

On Fri, Dec 2, 2011 at 4:15 AM, Kassym Dorsel <k.dorsel@gmail.com> wrote:

> Useless methods? : replace. Why do you need an explicit method for this.
> Can't you just use the assignment operator ?

No, you can't.

irb(main):001:0> a = 5.times.to_a
=> [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
irb(main):002:0> b = a
=> [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
irb(main):003:0> a = %w{foo bar}
=> ["foo", "bar"]
irb(main):004:0> b
=> [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
irb(main):005:0> # BUT ---------------------------
irb(main):006:0* a = 5.times.to_a
=> [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
irb(main):007:0> b = a
=> [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
irb(main):008:0> a.replace %w{foo bar}
=> ["foo", "bar"]
irb(main):009:0> a
=> ["foo", "bar"]
irb(main):010:0> b
=> ["foo", "bar"]
irb(main):011:0>

Kind regards

robert

-- 
remember.guy do |as, often| as.you_can - without end
http://blog.rubybestpractices.com/