From: Hal Fulton <hal9000@...>
Date: 2004-04-24T03:35:20+09:00
Subject: Re: Creating bang methods

Jean-Hugues ROBERT wrote:
>> This is also why there are no ++ and -- operators in Ruby.  1++ would
>> mean that the actual number 1 would henceforth mean 2.
>> David
> 
> 
> Well... something++ could get expanded into (something = something.++()) ?
> And ++something get expanded into (tmp = something, something = 
> something.++(), tmp)
> Pure syntax sugar.
> Then you can:
>   def ++()
>     self + 1
>   end
> I think += does that already, doesn't it ?
> There are other reasons why there is no ++ in Ruby.

Well, my impression is that Matz doesn't like for assignment to be
done except where it's painfully obvious there's an assignment.

Assignment is not considered a true operator in Ruby. (Yes, it has
precedence, but it operates on variables, not on objects.)

But we are used to thinking of ++ and -- as operators, not as
assignment.

This may be part of the reason. But IANYM.

Also IMO these operators can encourage some obfuscated code which
would be better written another way. Of course, both parts of my
statement are debatable.


Hal