From: Daniel Berger <djberge@...>
Date: 2003-07-29T03:44:12+09:00
Subject: Re: Fishing for ideas: Ruby-talk for Java coders

Ben Giddings wrote:
> 
> On Mon July 28 2003 1:06 pm, Armin Roehrl wrote:
> > I am only fishing for ideas. What would you focus on? We have 60 minutes of
> > talking time.
> >
> > I guess we /must/ mention interoperability with Java.
> 
> * The ways in which Ruby beats Java in OO design
>   + Subclassing of built-in types
>   + Everything (numbers and characters included) supports .kind_of? and stuff
> (Because Java coders like to think their language is the ultimate in OO
> design)

In addition to the things other folks have mentioned:

* mixins (vs interfaces)
* simpler attribute accessor system (no setVar()/getVar() everywhere).
* better startup time
* Java programs are slow (note that I didn't say that *Java* was slow)
* considerably less cpu/ram usage

If you're talking to PHB's at all, I would emphasize the final point
most of all because things like Java + Weblogic can suck up insane
amounts of RAM and CPU cycles.  This means that, from a hardware
perspective, Java will literally cost you more in terms of hardware
requirements.  It can be the difference between needing a $5,000 server
vs a $50,000 server.

I should know.  I monitor processes on a 4-cpu E450 with 4gb of RAM, and
about 90% of it is being used by Java+Weblogic.  While I may be picking
a bad example with Weblogic, the point is that if you use Java, you're
probably going to start using 3rd party Java apps, and those are
probably going to be much more piggish.

Just my .02

Regards,

Dan