From: Massimiliano Mirra <list@...>
Date: 2002-10-06T22:11:14+09:00
Subject: Re: Specifying local and external block parameters (that old chestnut)

On Sun, Oct 06, 2002 at 09:19:25AM +0900, Nikodemus Siivola wrote:
> The current behaviour may cause newcomers some surpirises, 

May I ask, surprises to whom?  

Java doesn't let you do this at all:

    int foo = 3;
    if (true) {
        int foo = 4;

Maybe C++ folks?


> but is it really wrong?

I don't recall ever having considered it wrong or being surprised by
it.  I always use it explicitly when a variable's value depends on an
analysis done inside an iterator:

    txt_file = nil
    files.each do |file|
      if file =~ /.txt$/
        txt_file = file
        break
      end
    end
    txt_file >> "foo.txt"

    # Yes I know about Enumerable#find ;-)


Massimiliano (bard on IRC)