From: dblack@...
Date: 2002-12-08T03:35:15+09:00
Subject: Re: elseif?

Hi --

On Sun, 8 Dec 2002, W. Kent Starr wrote:

> It seems that some (many?) confuse POLS with "there should be NO
> surprises." Of course, the reality is that with anything, due to
> lack of expereience, someone will be surprised by something. The
> poetic view is that languagaes, natural or computer, like life and
> love, would be quite dull without at least a hint of mystery. :-)

While hunting for "gentle dictator" citations before, I came
across this, from more than a year ago:

  [question to matz about behavior of some method...]
  |My question still remains - why? Although I agree that this may be
  |convenient in some cases it contradicts the "Principle of Least
  |Surprise" (at least for me). Or else, why isn't it implemented the
  |same way for hashes too?

  [matz's reply]
  (a) because I thought it was useful (note: I don't claim I've been
    right).
  (b) claiming PoLS is not allowed to complain about my decision. It's
    spared for the dictator. ;-)
  So let's not talk about PoLS, but talk about which is more useful.


(http://www.ruby-talk.org/22495)


David

-- 
David Alan Black
home: dblack@candle.superlink.net
work: blackdav@shu.edu
Web:  http://pirate.shu.edu/~blackdav