[Poolkop]

Anyone familiar with Prototype.js?
I'm trying to unravel some of these secrets, mostly how to figure out what 'this' means in the different contexts...
What is a closure? it is a function that returns a function that encloses a reference to it's object?

[kadamat]

It is a function with locally scoped variables that returns a function. When the function that gets returned is called it has access to those locally scoped variables - but nothing else does.

[Poolkop]

Thanks kadamat!

[kadamat]

Poolkop, If you call the outside function again, the locally scoped variables are created anew, and the returned function has access to only those versions of those variables.
http://js.edea.se/events_and_closures.html might be helpful.

[Poolkop]

what's with the lack of the < symbol in the printVal() ?

[kadamat]

No idea. Maybe an error? I wouldn't play with innerHTML myself

[Poolkop]

Why would you write a function that takes 1 argument that is an object with the arguments attached to it?
Ie: function foo(args) { this.title = args.title; this.author = args.author; } ?

[kadamat]

Because some arguments may be optional.
Or because you are using the object in other places