diff --git a/lib/strokedb/views/view.rb b/lib/strokedb/views/view.rb
index bec6da64..7b83fea1 100644
--- a/lib/strokedb/views/view.rb
+++ b/lib/strokedb/views/view.rb
@@ -236,14 +236,15 @@ class << View
     def [](name)
       # TODO: find viewdoc by name
     end
-    
+
+    alias :original_new :new
     # Define a view. 
     #
     # Examples
     #   View.define("view_name", :option => "value") do |viewdoc| ... end
     #   View.define(:name => "view_name", :option => "value") do |viewdoc| ... end
     #
-    def define(*args, &block)
+    def new(*args, &block)
       if args.first.is_a? String
         options = args[1] || {}
         options['name'] = args.first
@@ -262,11 +263,16 @@ def define(*args, &block)
       options['uuid'] = ::Util.sha1_uuid("view:#{nsurl}##{name}") 
       
       unless v = find(options['uuid'])
-        v = create!(options, &block)
+        v = original_new(options, &block)
       end
       v
     end
+    
+    alias :define :new
+    alias :define! :create!
+    
   end
+  
 
   class InvalidViewError < StandardError ; end
   
diff --git a/spec/lib/strokedb/views/view_spec.rb b/spec/lib/strokedb/views/view_spec.rb
index 94f5c950..a09cd7c3 100644
--- a/spec/lib/strokedb/views/view_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/strokedb/views/view_spec.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   
   it "could not be initialized" do
     lambda do 
-      @post_comments = View.define
+      @post_comments = View.define!
     end.should raise_error(ArgumentError)
   end
   
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 describe View, "without #map method defined" do
   before(:each) do
     setup_default_store
-    @post_comments = View.define(:name => "post_comments")
+    @post_comments = View.define!(:name => "post_comments")
   end
   
   it "should raise exception when #map is used" do
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
   
   before(:all) do
     setup_default_store
-    @view = View.define("post_comments") do |view|
+    @view = View.define!("post_comments") do |view|
       def view.map(uuid, doc)
         doc['type'] =~ /comment/ ? [[[doc.parent, doc.created_at], doc]] : nil
       end
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ def view.map(uuid, doc)
   
   before(:each) do
     setup_default_store
-    @view = View.define("SomeView") do |view|
+    @view = View.define!("SomeView") do |view|
       def view.map(uuid, doc)
         [[doc,doc]]
       end