On Fri, 2 Mar 2001, Max Ischenko wrote:

> I have the following Ruby code:
> 
> def Mutt.afterConfigure
> 	system("perl -i -p -e 's/^#define DEBUG/#undef DEBUG/' config.h")
	[...]
> 
> Now, I want to write a generic function that will make changes to a file,

How would one make it really generic?  Ruby has -i as well, so how can one
get at it to do:
 	ruby -i.bak -p -e 'gsub(/^#define DEBUG/, "#undef DEBUG/") config.h
in an elegant way, within a program?
Is it worth raising an RCR for open and IO to have some means to provide
this backup facility?
> 	
> 
> What do I do wrong?

One thing was not to attribute this statement to (I think) Gregory Benford:

> Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.

:-)  Clarke's was:

  Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Was he lurking on the Ruby list at the time? :-)  I've not noticed him post...

Sorry, this is drifting wildly off topic.

	Hugh