On 10.04.2009, at 11:29, Igor Stasenko wrote:

> 2009/4/10 Marcus Denker <denker at acm.org>:
>>
>> On 10.04.2009, at 05:34, Igor Stasenko wrote:
>>
>>> Another funny thing that i found, that you can actually do:
>>>
>>> | string |
>>> string := 'Blabla'.
>>> Object subclass: string
>>>       instanceVariableNames: ''
>>>       classVariableNames: ''
>>>       poolDictionaries: ''
>>>       category: 'Whatever'.
>>>
>>> Smalltalk at: string " returns a class you just defined."
>>>
>>
>> Yes, reflectively generating classes is what the browser does. And in
>> addition,
>> it is useful for tests. Or in general meta-programming tricks of the
>> evil kind.
>> (e.g. eToys used it to create on-the-fly classes for it's prototype-
>> like object
>> model. In most of these cases, it is better to use anonymous
>> Behaviors, than you don't
>> see them in the browser at all).
>>
>
> Right, but for common case, this should be errorneous? No?
> At least Smalltalk>>#at:put: should check that key is symbol.
>

Ups. I did not realize the string vs. symbol problem... I blame that on
the jet-lag ;-)

Maybe Smalltalk>>#at:put: could do an #asSymbol?

But in general, the whole structural model is not checked too much for  
consistency.
If you do wrong, it will be wrong.

	Marcus

--
Marcus Denker - http://marcusdenker.de
PLEIAD Lab - Computer Science Department (DCC) - University of Chile