[self-interest] Re: An OO history

[Reinout Heeck]

Samantha Atkins wrote:
> 
> 
> Ruby does not use a "Smalltalk-like syntax".
> 

Ruby took the 'best' of a couple of languages among which Smalltalk, so
it had to 'fix' the Smalltalk syntax.

Since the Byte article on Ruby I lost interest in trying it, it looks
broken to a Smalltalker, specifically the absence of named parameters
(keywords), the implied declaration of block parameters (if a method
takes a block as an artgument Ruby uses zero characters to indicate
that) and the dichotomy between blocks and closures all seem a step
backwards to me.

At least Self 'fixes' the Smalltalk syntax without killing it.


Cheers!

Reinout
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