Domo Arigato, Mr. Matsumoto

As the chipper salesman buoyantly suggested for the third time that we arrange another internal conference call next week to discuss potential efficiency improvements, I pressed mute and began a relaxed buzzing hum that followed rhythmically the ebb and flow of corporate busy-speak droning out of my desk phone. The sounds gradually mingled their essences to induce a soothing trance-like state in the participants. At least, that was the effect on me, and as you may already know, it is out of just such a depth of personal absence that the echoes of long know, but forgotten, truths can be faintly heard. "Ruby," they seemed to say.

Ruby is a scripting language designed in 1995 by Yukihiro Matsumoto. He created this language for one simple reason, to "maximize the joy of programming." *wipes tear from eye*

I first came across Ruby a few years back while investigating different types of programming languages, in particular, fully object-oriented languages like SmallTalk. Ruby seemed like a mish mash of SmallTalk, Perl, and PHP, with syntax that looked ugly given my C and Java background. I considered it a novelty supporting a lot of interesting dynamic features that I had never found in one stylish package. It had a following in Japan at the time, but was virtually unmentioned anywhere else in the world so I dismissed it as impractical for real world development. Tut. Tut.

I mindlessly began combing the web for news of Ruby's increasing popularity, and to my surprise, I found it. Ruby has passed Python now, in Japan, and is becoming a reasonable platform for web development with the advent of [Ruby on Rails]. I watched a few videos, read a few language primers, and took the [Rolling with Ruby on Rails tutorial]. At this early stage, I can say that I am thoroughly delighted.

posted by chopper @ 4:21 PM | 1 comments