This blog follows my (Joel Greenberg)’s attempt to learn Ruby and Ruby on Rails. I’ve got a few business ideas that I’m trying to bring to life with friends and we need a programming framework to quickly make interactive, database-driven websites.
Who am I?
I haven’t programmed professionaly in about nine years. However, in my past I’ve programmed in C; a forth-like language called Magic/L; the iconic language Authorware; Macromedia Director (Lingo); Multimedia Toolbook (yeah, I’m showing my age), Apple Script (which is a great, object oriented language–too bad it wasn’t well supported), and a little Java a long time ago. I’m trying to generate extra income by creating a community site with a friend around women exercise enthusiasts. He’s a designer; I’m a strategy guy. We could hire a programmer…if we had the cash. So, I figure, being an old programmer, why not give development a shot? Then, when the sites at a point where we have a small audience, we can think about paying a programmer to take it to the next level.
Why Ruby on Rails?
Well, the choices were Ruby on Rails, Python with Django (or some other framework), or a Content Mangement System (CSM)…say, Mambo. I ruled out a CMS because our idea isn’t heavy on articles and I’d have to end up programming anyway to get a CMS to perform the way I wanted it to. With that kind of effort, why not just learn a language and a framework?
I’ve kind of wanted to learn Python, but I bought the hype that Ruby on Rails is quicker. I viewed some of the presentations at RubyonRails.org and felt that if I was going to put the time into learning a new language anyway, why not go for something that promises to be Really Quick for development.
Ruby is used by 37Signals for their project management tool, Basecamp. I heard Jason Fried, of 37 Signals, on a panel at SXSW and on a podcast from IT Conversations. I liked his philosophy of people over process and code over 3 inch binders of documentation. Ruby was designed with those types of principals in mind. To me, coding is about solving problems and providing value NOT about tomes of documentation that no one ever reads. (And I’m an old tech writer, too. I’ve written those tomes and stopped doing it early in my career).
Ruby holds the promise of quick development and has a development philosophy that appeals to me. I won’t be trying to bend a language built for corporate America into my freewheeling idea. I’m programming for my own needs. I don’t intend to go back to work for hire programming.
So, the potential’s there. Follow along with me to see what it takes to learn Ruby on Rails and see if the potential becomes realized.
Joel