[ruby-talk:4705] new, initialize, etc.

I'm seeking an overview of this stuff.

I am rather used to constructors and destructors (as in C++ and Java,
and Eiffel which I've only read about), though I don't object to the
way Ruby does things.

As I see it, new is typically a class method which invokes the
initialize method.

First of all, why? I guess I can understand new being a class method,
but why is initialize named differently? Why not just define new for
the class and put the initializing code in there?

Second, I've read a little about finalizing objects; I'm not sure why
or when to do it. And why do it that way, rather than just provide a
method to be called by the GC when the object dies?

Finally, how are BEGIN and END supposed to be used? I've read what they
do -- it seems to me they would be useful for modules -- but I don't
actually grasp them. Are they completely unrelated to the concept of
creating and destroying objects?

Hal


--
Hal Fulton


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