From: Ryan Pavlik <rpav@...>
Date: 2003-04-12T13:17:12+09:00
Subject: Re: [BUG] "illegal radix 1"

On Sat, 12 Apr 2003 04:13:52 +0900
Daniel Carrera <dcarrera@math.umd.edu> wrote:

<snip> 
> In nearly all cases, when I use * I mean multiplication.  For me, the use 
> 'a(*b)' is so uncommon, that when that's what I want I write it explicitly 
> to avoid ambiguity.
>
> I would set the default parsing to (foo)*(1.1) in all cases, and only use 
> 'foo(*1.1)' when explicitly stated.
<snip> 

For me it's the other way around.  I have yet to use any multiplication
in this object system, but I use *args _quite_ a bit.  Everything from
argument list forwarding to widget parameter passing:

   o = Class.new_on(connection, :volume, arg0, ...)

   r = Row.new(1, 2, 3)   # Row#new declares with *args
   # or
   a = [1, 2, 3]
   # do stuff to a
   r = Row.new *a

It all depends on context, and unfortunately there's no way for ruby
to know the context.  I believe it's just the same thing as the "1+ 1"
problem.  Besides, if your code looks like that, you really should make
it look nicer. ;-) ;-)

-- 
Ryan Pavlik <rpav@users.sf.net>

"That's the first pratical line of thinking to
 come out of your word hole since we first met." - 8BT