On Dec 14, 2005, at 6:16 PM, Jeff Wood wrote:

> You should be able to tell who this message is meant for:

Yes, I recognize that you are probably speaking at least in part to  
me, since I did that in this very thread.  You can call me by name if  
you like.  I'm a big boy and I can take it.  ;)

> PLEASE stop sending out code that uses any of the perl ${x}  
> variables ...

Hang on there Mr. Code Police.  Let's not lay down the law down too  
heavily before we get into this...

> They are ugly and have no place in Ruby ... they are only provided to
> make the transition of Perl people easier ...

I seriously doubt those variables were invented in Perl.  They are a  
common feature to many Regular Expression implementation and I'm not  
sure they are even that ugly.  $1 holds what was grabbed by the first  
set of parenthesis.  Fairly logical.

> Please teach people to use MatchData objects ...

I also showed a MatchData example.

I've used them a time or two, but honestly, they just don't feel  
right to me.  I've stopped using the default variable, I'm using a  
two-space tab, etc.  I'm Ruby assimilated, but I just like the Regexp- 
linked variables.

I see a lot of code running the Ruby Quiz and I feel quite confident  
saying that the Regexp variables are far more common than MatchData.   
I don't think that says anything bad about the latter, but it does  
tell me that you are in the minority.  ;)

We won't yell at you for using MatchData, if you'll provide the same  
consideration...

James Edward Gray II