# Subclassing Class **URL:** \ **Category:** ruby-talk\ **Created:** [6 December 2005 00:57 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/subclassing-class/23031 "2005-12-06T00:57:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gary\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@Gary\_Wright](https://rubytalk.org/u/Gary_Wright)\ **Post date:** [6 December 2005 17:47 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/subclassing-class/23031/21 "2005-12-06T17:47:18Z")
With all due respect to Matz, I think Ruby is now much more than the work of a single person. Without a doubt, the community continues to benefit from his leadership and there is no reason to think that that won't continue but let's not pass over all the other contributors. Gary Wright > **路路路** > > On Dec 6, 2005, at 11:19 AM, David A. Black wrote: > > > This is different. First of all, Ruby is a work by Matz, not any of us. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@Gary\_Wright](https://rubytalk.org/u/Gary_Wright)\ **Post date:** [6 December 2005 17:52 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/subclassing-class/23031/22 "2005-12-06T17:52:18Z")
I do see your point. Keep the wordsmithing to the threads that are \*about\* wordsmithing and use the "default" terminology in the day-to-day threads. Does that sound about right? Eigenlivewithat 馃檪 Gary Wright > **路路路** > > On Dec 6, 2005, at 11:19 AM, David A. Black wrote: > > > > The big elephant in the room seems to be Matz comments that the > > > semantics of a meta/singleton/eigen class might be implemented via some > > > mechanism other than a class, which would certainly stir the pot a bit. > > > > No elephant, from my perspective. That's yet another reason (aside from > > the general principle of respect for Matz's unique role) for not having > > the terminology free-for-all. ---
**Author:** ![Wayne\_Vucenic1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f17d59/32.png) [@Wayne\_Vucenic1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Wayne_Vucenic1)\ **Post date:** [6 December 2005 18:00 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/subclassing-class/23031/23 "2005-12-06T18:00:07Z")
Hi David, I just wanted to chime in that I totally agree with your position regarding "singleton class" vs. other names for this concept. > "Ruby for Rails", forthcoming from Manning Publications, April 2006! The draft I read really rocks. I'm looking forward to the final book! Wayne > **路路路** > > --- > Wayne Vucenic > No Bugs Software > "Ruby and C++ Agile Contract Programming in Silicon Valley" ---
**Author:** ![David\_A\_Black3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6a8cbe/32.png) [@David\_A\_Black3](https://rubytalk.org/u/David_A_Black3)\ **Post date:** [6 December 2005 18:43 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/subclassing-class/23031/24 "2005-12-06T18:43:12Z")
Hi -- > **路路路** > > On Wed, 7 Dec 2005 gwtmp01@mac.com wrote: > > > On Dec 6, 2005, at 11:19 AM, David A. Black wrote: > > \> This is different. First of all, Ruby is a work by Matz, not any > > \> of us. > > > > With all due respect to Matz, I think Ruby is now much more than the > > work of a single person. Without a doubt, the community continues to > > benefit from his leadership and there is no reason to think that that > > won't continue but let's not pass over all the other contributors. > > Let's not pass over the sentence right after the one you quoted either 馃檪 > > David > \_\_ > David A. Black > dblack@wobblini.net > > "Ruby for Rails", forthcoming from Manning Publications, April 2006! ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@Gary\_Wright](https://rubytalk.org/u/Gary_Wright)\ **Post date:** [6 December 2005 21:46 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/subclassing-class/23031/25 "2005-12-06T21:46:30Z")
> > > This is different. First of all, Ruby is a work by Matz, not any > > > of us. > > > > With all due respect to Matz, I think Ruby is now much more than the > > work of a single person. Without a doubt, the community continues to > > benefit from his leadership and there is no reason to think that that > > won't continue but let's not pass over all the other contributors. > > Let's not pass over the sentence right after the one you quoted either 馃檪 For the record, that next sentence was: > But, granting that single authorship is not really the whole story here, Yeah, I should have acknowledged that in my response, but I didn't catch it until after responding. I still would have responded, but perhaps more obliquely. I think I missed 'part2' in first reading because of such a direct, unambiguous statement just before it. I just don't know what to make of: "Ruby is a work by Matz, not any of us" in the midst of a discussion of language semantics. That sounded too much like "proof by authority" for my liking nor is that what I see going on in the Ruby community. Now we are getting off topic. Sorry for confusing your meaning. > **路路路** > > On Dec 6, 2005, at 1:43 PM, David A. Black wrote: > > > > On Dec 6, 2005, at 11:19 AM, David A. Black wrote: ---
**Author:** ![David\_A\_Black3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6a8cbe/32.png) [@David\_A\_Black3](https://rubytalk.org/u/David_A_Black3)\ **Post date:** [6 December 2005 22:54 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/subclassing-class/23031/26 "2005-12-06T22:54:14Z")
Hi -- > **路路路** > > On Wed, 7 Dec 2005 gwtmp01@mac.com wrote: > > > On Dec 6, 2005, at 1:43 PM, David A. Black wrote: > > \>\> On Dec 6, 2005, at 11:19 AM, David A. Black wrote: > > \>\>\> This is different. First of all, Ruby is a work by Matz, not any > > \>\>\> of us. > > \>\> > > \>\> With all due respect to Matz, I think Ruby is now much more than the > > \>\> work of a single person. Without a doubt, the community continues to > > \>\> benefit from his leadership and there is no reason to think that that > > \>\> won't continue but let's not pass over all the other contributors. > > \> > > \> Let's not pass over the sentence right after the one you quoted > > \> either 馃檪 > > > > For the record, that next sentence was: > > \> But, granting that single authorship is not really the whole story > > \> here, > > > > Yeah, I should have acknowledged that in my response, but I didn't > > catch it > > until after responding. I still would have responded, but perhaps more > > obliquely. > > > > I think I missed 'part2' in first reading because of such a direct, > > unambiguous statement just before it. I just don't know what to make of: > > "Ruby is a work by Matz, not any of us" in the midst of a discussion of > > language semantics. That sounded too much like "proof by authority" for > > my liking nor is that what I see going on in the Ruby community. > > Matz is, by his account, a "benevolent dictator" 馃檪 It's a great > community, but in terms of the technical side of Ruby (as opposed to what > someone may want to do with a website design, or something) it's not a > democracy. > > It works out very well, though. > > David > \_\_ > David A. Black > dblack@wobblini.net > > "Ruby for Rails", forthcoming from Manning Publications, April 2006! ---
**Author:** ![David\_A\_Black3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6a8cbe/32.png) [@David\_A\_Black3](https://rubytalk.org/u/David_A_Black3)\ **Post date:** [6 December 2005 22:59 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/subclassing-class/23031/27 "2005-12-06T22:59:09Z")
> I think I missed 'part2' in first reading because of such a direct, > unambiguous statement just before it. I just don't know what to make of: > "Ruby is a work by Matz, not any of us" in the midst of a discussion of > language semantics. That sounded too much like "proof by authority" for > my liking nor is that what I see going on in the Ruby community. Just to clarify that sentence you didn't understand: it was in response to your point about academic works and their authors coming up with new terms. My point was that if there's an analogy there, it's between the academic authors and Matz, not between an author and every single person who uses Ruby. (And that's the point at which I tempered it by saying the analogy isn't exact, etc.... 馃檪 David > **路路路** > > \_\_ > David A. Black > dblack@wobblini.net > > "Ruby for Rails", forthcoming from Manning Publications, April 2006! [Previous page](https://rubytalk.org/t/subclassing-class/23031.md?page=1)