From: Ian Macdonald <ian@...>
Date: 2002-10-22T12:30:19+09:00
Subject: Re: Things That Newcomers to Ruby Should Know (10/16/02)

On Tue 22 Oct 2002 at 12:18:22 +0900, Hal E. Fulton wrote:

> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Ian Macdonald" <ian@caliban.org>
> To: "ruby-talk ML" <ruby-talk@ruby-lang.org>
> Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 10:03 PM
> Subject: Re: Things That Newcomers to Ruby Should Know (10/16/02)
> 
> 
> > Hmm, why does 'string += another' need to create a new object? string
> > already exists, so wouldn't the reference simply be updated?
> 
> It's a feature. :) The notation a+=b really, REALLY 
> means a = a + b.

I understand that, but since 'a' already exists prior to assigning a + b
to it, why does it need to be recreated? Where strings are concerned,
I don't see why this would be any different to 'a << b'.

I don't doubt for a minute that I'm being told the truth here; I just
fail to understand why this way of doing things is necessarily less
efficient.

Ian
-- 
Ian Macdonald               | Cocaine:  The thinking man's Dristan. 
ian@caliban.org             | 
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