From: Jack Dempsey <dempsejn@...>
Date: 2002-01-15T06:19:40+09:00
Subject: ROSA (pre-announcement)

Over the last few weeks a couple threads emerged in which an online
repository for personal methods arose.  The idea was along the lines of
having a collection of peoples xarray.rb, xenumerable.rb etc files
online that we could somehow vote on or rank that would then be included
in an area to be downloaded from, viewed, borrowed, whatever.

I've put together the _very_ basic beginnings of such a system.  I've
talked with a few Ruby users and gathered their thoughts on how it
should be organized, what should be included, etc. For instance, should
it be limited to modified builtins? The structure is currently setup to
allow for this easily. However, I think that a method very useful for
Time lets say should also be included. 

For now I'd like to resurrect the thread and seriously discuss the
usefulness of this new repository. I've had a suggestion that "agreed
upon" code (however we'd do that would have to be discussed) could be
tar'ed and gzip'ed every week or so and then users could use some of the
new applications being developed currently to keep abreast of new
changes. 

I also think it'd be a nice feature to be able to browse code, click and
select methods you like as you go, and then download them with one click
at the end...a 'method shopping cart' of sorts...

I haven't implemented much functionality, as I want to write this in
Ruby, and currently only have access to PHP, so please bear with the
limited nature of the look and design of the site. It's basically there
to try and kickstart this idea into reality. Feedback on the concept and
ideas would be best as the form will surely change.

So, point your browsers at http://saxa.georgetown.edu/~jack/ruby/rosa/
if you're interested. I'd love to have lots of feedback on this as I
think it could be a very useful way to collect all the snippets of code
we pass around daily.

I've also started the groundwork for a one-liner section, but am keeping
that on hold until more consensus is had on the first topic.

Jack

"On two occasions I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray,
Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right
answers come out?' I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of
confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question. --Charles
Babbage"