Another solution to this post (http://jumpstartlab.com/news/archives/2013/04/23/the-death-of-ifs) problem: use Ruby Not using objects.

death_of_ifs.rb

def start
  command = ""
  commands = default_commands
  add_command(commands, "follow", "following")
  while command != "q"
    printf "enter command: "
    command = gets.chomp
    process(command, commands)
  end
end

def default_commands
  commands = Hash.new

  commands[:q] = "Goodbye"
  commands[:tweet] = "tweeting"
  commands[:dm] = "direct messaging"
  commands[:help] = "helping"
  
  commands
end

def add_command(commands, input, output)
  commands[input.to_sym] = output
  commands
end
 
def process(input, commands)
  puts commands[input.to_sym]
end