From: Alan Chen <alan@...>
Date: 2002-10-24T04:53:46+09:00
Subject: Re: Things That Newcomers to Ruby Should Know (10/16/02)

On Thu, Oct 24, 2002 at 04:24:37AM +0900, Austin Ziegler wrote:
> Ultimately, I think that any language that allows the definition of
> += separately from + is broken because it allows really dumb, really
> broken things in exchange for a minor performance quibble. If you
> explicitly want performance benefits in string concatenation, use
> String#<< -- it's what I do. If I can't afford to take the chance of
> modifying the original value, then I use +=.
> 
> -austin
> -- Austin Ziegler, austin@halostatue.ca on 2002.10.23 at 15.14.29

I totally agree with you. Ruby's way of doing it makes the performance
decision visible and accessible right where it's used, whereas C++'s
method opens you up to subtle, difficult to track errors, and
increased complexity in exchange for a performance improvement that
is only sometimes realized.

-- 
Alan Chen
Digikata LLC
http://digikata.com