From: 7stud -- <lists@...>
Date: 2012-09-19T02:10:49+09:00
Subject: Re: Bug or feature

The line:

a = ['0']

1) First tells ruby to create the string at some location in memory:

1033 Maple Dr.
   -------
     '0'

2) Then ruby inserts the address in a new
array:

[1033 Maple Dr.]


3) Then ruby does the assignment and makes the variable 'a' refer to
that array:

a -------> [1033 Maple Dr.]



The line:

b = a.clone

1) First, creates a copy of the 'a' array:

[1033 Maple Dr.]

2) Then ruby does the assignment and makes b refer to the array:

b -----> [1033 Maple Dr.]


So the overall picture looks like this:

a -----> [1033 Maple Dr.]      1033 Maple Dr.
                                  -------
                                    '0'
b -----> [1033 Maple Dr.]


So when you use b to change the string that resides at 1033 Maple Dr.,
that effects 'a' because it also has an element that refers to 1033
Maple Dr.

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