Re: [Devculture] ruby question - try Python also (fwd)

hmmm, this doesn't mesh terribly well with my experience.  Anyone else car
to take a crack at answering it?

-pate

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 2003 22:07:21 -0400
From: Anil R. Diwan <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: [Devculture] ruby question - try Python also

I looked at Ruby with great interest. I was dismayed by the insufficient
development in Ruby and poor support for many good things it has.
For Web development, the best project going on in Ruby is a replacement of
the JSP/ASP like architecture of web pages with an architecture which
cleanly separates the HTML page portion and the Ruby class that fills it in.
The ideas they have used are really clever. They claim they took inspiration
from Webobjects. However, I did not see any further development in that
project (last year). Then I saw Ruby trying to copy JSPs!!!
CONS of RUBY:
Ruby allows you to use MANY different coding syntaxes - It supports PERL
like syntax as also Python like syntax among others. This WILL make the Ruby
code archaic and uncommunicable across large teams when the teams are
brought together by hiring consultants as they generally are.
The syntax issues and support for mechanics of both PERL like and Python
like stuff makes programming more interesting to people who like to write
compact code undecipherable to others (read - job security as a PRO item
here).

My current favorite, after looking at a large number of languages is Python
or Jython, depending upon whether you want access to Java are you are happy
with the available C code base. Jyhton in particular sits as a
interpreter/compiler on top of the JVM. You write Python code in Jython, run
it like a script, and then you can even ask Jython to produce Java Source
code from what you wrote! All Java classes can be called from the Python
side. And you write compact code in the beautiful python language.

Python has excellent syntax (Ruby derived its syntax pretty much fully from
Python, and added the Perlish stuff). It is a TRUE Object-oriented language
offering first class objects like in SmallTalk or Haskell, that can modify
behavior by runtime binding with a type or class, and inheriting at run
time. Despite its roots as a scripting language, it actually is an
object-oriented language, unlike Java and C++. [Java and C++ are Class
oriented languages, as opposed to Object oriented languages].
Coding in Python is compact, and Python provides a lot of facilities. Also
because of Jython, its acceptance will rise (I hope). Jython is also an easy
way to write Java code.

I have not coded in either Ruby or Python, so all comments are based on
reading and learning the language.

Sincerely,
- anil r. diwan
[e-mail]
Cell: [phone]
---
Anil R. Diwan, Ph.D.
Chief Technology Officer

AllExcel, Inc.
135 Wood St., Ste.200
West Haven, CT 06516.
Tel&Fax: [phone].
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From: WHIRLYCOTT <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2003 21:42:39 -0400
To: [e-mail]
Subject: [Devculture] ruby question


I was just going to send this email to my friend Pat Eyler directly,
but I remembered that he's on this list and that others here may be
interested in this.... maybe ;)

Anyway, my question is about Ruby.  I'm wondering what it would offer
me, since I do most of my work in weblike environments and use all
sorts of funny stuff.  I've compiled a laundry list and I'm wondering
if Pat knows about the answers to any of this... while I'm digging some
of this up myself.

Does Ruby have...? / How strong is ruby in the area of...?

- SOAP support
- XML support
- inline web page building like asp/php/jsp
- database access
- application server type features for data caching, database
connection pooling, session management ala j2ee/mod_perl/php

Just wondering what Pat may have run into during the course of his
travels... if others have experiences with Ruby as well, I'd like to
hear about them.

phil.

--
                                  Whirlycott
                                  Philip Jacob
                                  [e-mail]
                                  http://www.whirlycott.com/phil/

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