From: Chris White <cwprogram@...>
Date: 2011-09-06T04:15:33+09:00
Subject: Re: Which version should I download?

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> You guys are aware that newbies will always have this question?

Newcomers to a language will always have common questions that are often co=
vered by official documentation. That's nothing that's going to change.

> It is a HUGE problem for any language to support two different=20
> implementations (or worse=2C even more).

But in a majority of cases it's necessary. When you're dealing with program=
ming languages people are often split into two distinct camps. The first is=
 those who always want to live on the bleeding edge=2C always picking up ne=
w technology as it comes. On the other hand is the slower moving side. They=
 are more resistant to change and tend to prefer working with something as =
long as possible until upgrades are absolutely essential. Some of the logic=
 behind this is that if they stick with what they have=20

> I myself am stuck on 1.8.x and will move to python rather than use=20
> 1.9.x's brainless Encoding situation.

Python won't save you from the complexities of encoding. You have to rememb=
er=2C Ruby has its base in Japan. In Japan you roughly have the following e=
ncodings to deal with:
- UTF*- EUC-JP- SJIS- ISO-2022-JP
This is just a very broad generalization. There are even more issues such a=
s multiple versions of SJIS. Oh and then there's localization which is a wh=
ole different beast.=20
On that note I like Ruby 1.9's encoding system=2C and I have quite a lot of=
 Japanese text processing and Japanese filenames floating around to deal wi=
th the encoding madness.

> But I agree on one point indeed - 1.8.x will eventually die (*waves a=20
> sad goodbye*) and I think the official homepage should ACTIVELY=20
> recommend to use 1.9.x ALONE. As should all of the community. A hard=20
> break is better than a slow one... it slows down changes to the=20
> language.

The only real mentions of the 1.8 series are those referring to system spec=
ific implementation. My Mac for example has 1.8 installed by default. Solar=
is as noted has 1.8 as well. Some people like to stick with the system vers=
ion and not go through the whole rvm/source install dance.

> It is much less confusing for newcomers to ruby and perhaps they manage=20
> to do something which I failed at - embrace 1.9.x with love. (I just=20
> don't feel it anymore due to the Encoding crap I don't need=2C crap which=
=20
> was not existing in 1.8.x=2C but it was my personal decision to not switc=
h=20
> to 1.9.x and instead do a hard switch to another language altogether=2C s=
o=20
> it is ok.)

That's your decision=2C just remember that every language has its ups and d=
owns. Python 3 for example has many external libraries=2C including Django =
and some of the ui toolkits=2C that are not supported. However it's also th=
e latest cutting edge version.=20
Regards=2CChris WhiteTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/cwgem 		 	   		  =

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