From: Rich Kilmer <rich@...>
Date: 2002-11-09T09:35:36+09:00
Subject: Re: FreeRIDE and FUI ?? (was: Re: Thoughts on Ruby lack of IDE)

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rich [mailto:rich@lithinos.com] 
> Sent: Friday, November 08, 2002 5:55 PM
> To: ruby-talk ML
> Subject: FreeRIDE and FUI ?? (was: Re: Thoughts on Ruby lack of IDE)
> 
> 
> > > >
> > > > What does seem like substantial deficiency is the absence of a 
> > > > real integrated development environment for Ruby. The early 
> > > > Smalltalk articles were quite specific that this is the main 
> > > > reason for its productivity.
> > >
> > > Please check out FreeRIDE at http://www.rubyide.org
> > >
> > > FreeRIDE has some pretty lofty goals. We've got quite a 
> ways to go, 
> > > but
> we
> > > have a solid foundation in place in which we can build 
> out the IDE 
> > > with modular plugins.
> > >
> 
> How would FUI (Flash User Interface) fit into this?
>

Build a set of plugins that enable the flash delivery (via an HTTP
FreeRIDE plugin utilizing something like WEBrick) and an XML socket
plugin that backends your FUI system.  The abstraction created in the
components of FreeRIDE are enabled by a renderer.  The renderer (which
may or may not be graphical) merely accepts a series of calls on behalf
of components (Editpanes, menupanes, etc).  Taking the Fox renderer as a
model (and if you have comprable FUI components) you just reimplement
the functionality.
 
> Will I be able to 'plug' FUI extensions into FreeRIDE?

Yes...and when I am done with refactoring the plugin system (later
tonight or this weekend) we will be able to support LOTS of
plugins...the more the better.

> 
> How can a GUI IDE like what FUI is planning be connected to FreeRIDE?
> 

FreeRIDE is, itself, a GUI IDE...that is...we have GUI renderers for all
the abstract components we are creating.  If you are developing Flash
widgets that enable IDE-like behaviors (i.e. syntax highliting editors,
menus, debuggers) they are enabled by other FreeRIDE plugins that
provide general (non-GUI specific) behaviors.  We are working on these
components, and others are welcome.

Its funny you bring this up because I mentioned a Flash UI on top of
FreeRIDE in my presentation at RubyConf last weekend (everyone
laughed...but we shall see who gets the last laugh ;-)

-rich