Contents
Ruby Metaprogramming: Adding Methods to an Instance
A wordy metaprogramming lesson on how to and how not to add methods to an object instance.
An Overview - Server Siding Javascript
Lately, I have gotten interested in server-side JavaScript. Since I have been on a rather intense hyper-focused learning course, that my girlfriend really doesn't care about, I decided to abuse my blog with the meandered lessons, I have gathered. A lot of the information has been hard to find and hard to process because the people who are invested in this world are so deeply ingrained in it that haven't popped out to introduce a simple stranger. This article aims to be an overview of the state of server-side javascript today.
Server-Side Javascript & EJScript
Server-side JavaScript is coming to town. If EJScript is any indication, it is coming kind of slow and ugly. Here is hoping things get better and cleaner.
Server-Side Javascript & EJScript
Server-side JavaScript is coming to town. If EJScript is any indication, it is coming kind of slow and ugly. Here is hoping things get better and cleaner.
Objects Can't Ask to Be Born
Just like with people, objects can kill themselves, but they can't ask to be born.
Ruby's Porn Ghetto
Does sexism still exist? Do Ruby developers need a re-edumocation? Would a somewhat transgendered lesbian pornographer be the right one to give advice on improving your female developer worthiness? Probably not, but you are in the ghetto.
Getting Work; Getting Good Developers - The Game Is Rigged (in Both Directions)
Creative people, like coders and Burning Men and entrepreneurs don't usually fit in the usual business systems. Finding work and finding good developers, seems like a rigged game in both directions. The only way through is sometimes out.
Multi-Database joins in ActiveRecord
Ever wonder how to make multi-database joins in ActiveRecord. The easy way is with a find_by_sql call, but the better way is to use existing relationship methods so that the relationships can be used and abused in the usual AR ways.
What not to do with before_filter ... or around or after filters
Extracting common code is good. Using controller before filters to ensure authentication. Cleaning up your actions by extracting not very common controller code, BAD.
Rubyish Markers for the Economy
About a year ago I was looking for a job. It was really easy to get one. I finally got offered a job yesterday after ~5 weeks of searching. This has lead to some super-anecdotal statistics about Ruby job hunting, then and now.
Yup, It's True, Coders Still Don't Believe in Testing
Although a lot of the most vocal people in the Ruby/Rails world are strict adherers to BDD or TDD testing, out in the startup jungle, developers and (gasp!) CTOs don't believe in testing at all.
Multiple Databases with Merb and ActiveRecord
Rails makes it hard, but not impossible to connect to multiple databases. Merb is ORM agnostic, and the core team loves Datamapper in part because it supports multiple database repositories. You would think that Merb might make things easier with ActiveRecord and multiple database. Not, so there are some big gotchas in the merb_activerecord plugin that make the usual Rails method fail too.
Metaprogramming Name Collision Experiments with Module Inclusion/Extension
It turns out that module methods don't override methods that are defined within a class. So with name collisions the method definitions of the class will win.
Guess Who's Coming to the White House
Post inaugural movie watching turns oh-so introspective: race, start-ups, not-startups, and more race. This is after all the ghetto.
The Rails/Merb Merger - What's in it for Merb?
The Rails community is thrilled about the Rails/Merb merger. Why not? They get all the performance and elegance gains of Merb, while continuing to develop exactly how they have been doing it all along. But what about the Merb people. I am going to argue that there are two Merb groups, the framework developers and the early adopters/framework end-user. One has a lot to gain from the merger, and the other, not so much.