Why You'd Use the Indexing Methods

class Yayness
    attr_accessor :name
    @instances = {}
    def Yayness.[](instname)
        @instances[instname]
    end

    def Yayness.[]=(instname, object)
        @instances[instname] = object
    end

    def initialize(myname)
        self.class[myname] = self
        @name = myname
    end
end

first = Yayness.new(:first)
second = Yayness.new(:second)

puts Yayness[:first].name

first