# Funny doc for setter

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/funny-doc-for-setter/103418>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [May 5, 2007, 6:57pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/funny-doc-for-setter/103418 "2007-05-05T18:57:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![john\_old](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/9f8e36/32.png) [@john\_old](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/john_old)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 6:57pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/funny-doc-for-setter/103418/1 "2007-05-05T18:57:09Z")

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Is it just me or is this funny?

------------------------------------------- Object#instance\_variable\_set  
obj.instance\_variable\_set(symbol, obj) =\> obj

---

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**Author:** ![john\_old](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/9f8e36/32.png) [@john\_old](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/john_old)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 10:50pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/funny-doc-for-setter/103418/2 "2007-05-05T22:50:31Z")

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On 5/5/07, John J. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> Is it just me or is this funny?

I see the same subtle humor here 🙂

Robert

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**Author:** ![john\_old](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/9f8e36/32.png) [@john\_old](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/john_old)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 10:43pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/funny-doc-for-setter/103418/3 "2007-05-09T22:43:50Z")

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On 5/8/07, Ken B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> > provide  
> > end  
> > Ahh, but it’s a subtle reminder that even if something is possible one  
> > shouldn’t always do it, at least without thought to the consequences.

–  
Rick DeNatale

My blog on Ruby  
[http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/](http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/)

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**Author:** ![john\_old](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/9f8e36/32.png) [@john\_old](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/john_old)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 2:40am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/funny-doc-for-setter/103418/4 "2007-05-09T02:40:18Z")

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On Sun, 06 May 2007 01:56:18 +0900, John J. wrote:

> ```
> this call.
> 
> ```

Yeah, but it doesn’t expose anything that didn’t already exist in Ruby.  
If the function didn’t exist, you could write it yourself:

class Object  
def instance\_variable\_set symbol, obj  
eval “@#{symbol}=obj”  
end  
end

–Ken