From: Fred McArthur <lists@...>
Date: 2012-08-17T12:29:05+09:00
Subject: Re: Print method

Thanks for responding. I'll have to think it over before really grasping
why it's done the way it's done.  The example for extending class String
works well enough.

But why it's not done that way in the first place still escapes me.  For
instance, I understand the statement:

### "foo.print" would fail on any object which doesn't have a print
method

But so would reverse, upcase, downcase and all the other methods that
ARE done with dotted notation.  Also if print is a private method, then
why aren't the others? I gather it has a lot to do with selection of
output devices, but isn't the idea of OO based in part on polymorphism,
therefore able to handle that (I'm taking a wild shot here)?

(No doubt I'll get it when I reread the responses again.)

Lots to think about here.  Thanks for everyone's input!

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