On Oct 12, 2007, at 9:40 AM, Brian Adkins wrote:

>
> Actually, what you want is simply N. It's a nonsensical request from a
> troll. Using max, end, last, etc. to find the end of the range is
> ridiculous since you must know the end of the range to define the
> range!

that is not true.  any object can be used in a range in ruby.  it  
only must respond to #succ.  it's quite possible to declare classes  
that worked like so

class TimeOfDay
end

noon_today = TimeOfDay 12, :today
noon_morrow = TimeOfDay 12, :tomorrow

noon_to_noon = noon_today ... noon_tomorrow

p noon_to_noon.max #=> TimeOfDay< @hour=24, @minute=0, @second=0 >

in other words to construct a cycle or other sequence using a range.  
and, more simply

-1 .. -4

while quite valid, requires some thought as to which end is the  
maximum.  with pure numbers you'd say -1 (the first) but, if those  
were like so

Depth(-1) .. Depth(-4)

that the Depth class semantics may dictate that Depth(-4) is in fact  
the max.

regards.

a @ http://codeforpeople.com/
--
it is not enough to be compassionate.  you must act.
h.h. the 14th dalai lama