But it *doesn't* make sense, at least not automatically. First, I don't see how it makes programs any cleaner. How is the interpreter to know when you want

(a) to assign as many values as you have to the keys of the hash, leaving the 'extra' keys associated with undef.
vs.
(b) to assign each one the same?

All I'm saying is that the version I posted is unambiguous (maintainability). As for speed, well, isn't the interpreter going to have to essentially create the array?

Philosophy can be made out of anything. Or less -- Jerry A. Fodor