require "active_support/multibyte" class String def at(position) self[position] end def from(position) self[position..-1] end def to(position) self[0..position] end def first(limit = 1) if limit == 0 '' elsif limit >= size self else to(limit - 1) end end def last(limit = 1) if limit == 0 '' elsif limit >= size self else from(-limit) end end end