From: Kirk Haines <wyhaines@...>
Date: 2005-03-26T13:44:48+09:00
Subject: Re: comment on today's poll and more questions

Phil Tomson wrote:

> 
> It's interesting to see all of the 'a' answers to the first question of
> the poll today (meaning that they are using Ruby all the time in their
> work).  This seems to be a marked change in the Ruby community since a
> year ago when the 'a' answer would have been much rarer.
> 
> Can some of the folks who use Ruby 'all the time' at work offer advice on
> how to find Ruby work/contracts?  I suspect 'Learn Rails' would top the
> list - but what about other areas besides web programming - is Ruby making
> more inroads in those areas as well?

I have been writing web and non-web software with Ruby for a living for
about three years, now.  Learning Rails may or may not be relevant to the
task of getting jobs writing web software.  It's just a tool, a means to an
end, and doesn't take the place of the knowledge and skills needed to
produce a good web based application.  So, on that front, my advice would
be to just learn _something_, whether it be Rails or something else, and to
learn by doing.  Create something.  Create a few somethings.  It's in the
act of creating the software that you will start to better understand the
tasks involved in writing good web based applications.

Keep an eye out for opportunities.  They don't have to be Ruby specific
opportunities, necessarily, in order for you to use Ruby.  Work hard to
build a portfolio of successes.  Even if they start small, eventually the
chain of successes will make it easier for returning customers as well as
future clients to accept the use of Ruby on larger and larger projects.  I
do a great deal of work for banking and mutual fund sectors, and from where
I sit, they could not care less what programming language their
applications are written in, so long as they deliver the features desired
in the timeframe desired.

And be patient.  It can be slow, hard work to find good contracts and to
build the portfolio of work that, in turn, helps you find more work.  Good
luck.


Kirk Haines