SASADA Koichi said:
>
> [ruby-dev:26463] String#each_byte and String#each_char
>
> NARUSE, Yui proposed that Ruby HEAD should include following functions.
>
> 1)  String#each_byte (without block) #=> Array
>     It's same function as "'string'.unpack('C*')".
> 2)  String#each_char (without block) #=> Array
> 3)  String#each_char (with block)    #=> str
>     String#each_char is same as "'string'.split(//).each".
>
> Matz rejected (1) and (2), because it's not feature for "each". He
> agreed to import these method if there are any suitable name.
>
> And Matz accepted String#each_char (with block).

I also think this will be a useful method.

Possible names for 1) and 2):

1) to_byte_array, to_byte_a, to_bytes
2) to_char_array, to_char_a, to_chars

Ryan