----- Original Message ----- 
From: "ts" <decoux / moulon.inra.fr>
To: "ruby-talk ML" <ruby-talk / ruby-lang.org>
Cc: <ruby-talk / ruby-lang.org>
Sent: Monday, June 24, 2002 6:40 AM
Subject: Re: No exceptions from String#to_i


> >>>>> "H" == Hal E Fulton <hal9000 / hypermetrics.com> writes:
> 
> H> I know it's been discussed before, but I
> H> can't find it now.
> 
>  use #Integer if you want an error
> 
> pigeon% ruby -e 'Integer("")'
> -e:1:in `Integer': invalid value for Integer: "" (ArgumentError)
>         from -e:1
> pigeon% 

Ah, thank you, I remember that now.

Which raises the question: Why is this
"non-OO"? Why not str.integer (for instance)
instead of Integer(str)? Is it just to make
it more universally available (i.e., to 
different data types, Integer(non_str_obj))?

And why is Integer capitalized? I know of 
only four methods in the entire Ruby core 
that start with capital letters.

I sound like a five year old, do I not?
Always asking why...  :)

Thanks,
Hal Fulton