From: Ross Shaw <rshaw1961@...>
Date: 2002-11-26T20:46:19+09:00
Subject: Re: [FAQ] Why isn't 'x++' or 'x--' valid?

In article <20021126153521.784921BC283@proxy2-dmz.delmonte-phil.com>,
 "Pe�a, Botp" <botp@delmonte-phil.com> wrote:

> 
> Currently, I am converting a perl program to ruby and it pains me since it
> has a lot of the form:
> 
> if cond1
>    ++x
>    ++y
>    ++z
> end
> 
> if cond2
>    ++a
>    ++b
>    ++c
>    ++x
> end
> 

Surely you can just modify this by using a editor to convert ++x to 
x+=1. Using a grep editor you could do the lot at once. 

Personally I have hated the ++x and x++ idiom from the day I first saw 
them in C and I consider their omission from Ruby to be one of common 
sense.

I consider the aesthetics of a language is defined by not what you put 
into it but what you leave out. Generally Matz has got it spot on.

Ross