

Shoes 2 Makes Its Debut - bprater
http://shoooes.net/about/raisins/

======
kzar
I think I'm the only one not cool enough to know but what is this?

~~~
iamwil
It's a framework for creating simple desktop apps in ruby with inspiration
from Processing.

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bprater
Anyone know why it's also referred to as Raisins?

~~~
iamwil
Every release is called by some word and a number. I don't know if there's a
pattern to it. But for that particular release, it happened to be called
Raisins, as far as I could tell.

_why (the author) is using it as a platform to write hacketyhack, a set of
libraries and tutorials to help teach kids how to program, but letting them
build blogs, downloaders, etc. in a couple lines.

~~~
nihilocrat
Ubuntu calls its releases "Hardy Heron" and "Intrepid Ibex"

OGRE3D calls its releases "Eihort" and "Shoggoth"

I assume they're following the model of attaching a name to each official
release.

To reply to the rest of your comment, I think it would be more exciting for
beginners to learn how to program games. There is a much higher effort:reward
ratio, though. You can't write Pong in 2 lines of code quite yet.

~~~
tremendo
_You can't write Pong in 2 lines of code quite yet_

The included Pong weights in at 62 lines (36 after removing comments and blank
lines).

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lionhearted
You could probably add a bit of readability by making the follow paragraph
bullet points:

Compare... "This release adds a built-in manual, an error console, RubyGems
integration, simple asynchronous downloads, an in-memory and database-backed
image cache, support for external fonts, and, most prominently, its own unique
library for packaging apps into little executables. OS X support is
significantly better, as we switched from Carbon to Cocoa."

To...

"This release adds:

-A built-in manual

-An error console

-RubyGems integration

-Simple asynchronous downloads

-An in-memory and database-backed image cache

-Support for external fonts

-Most prominently, its own unique library for packaging apps into little executables

-OS X support is significantly better, as we switched from Carbon to Cocoa."

(Sorry if I mis-spaced it, I'm not sure where all the commas should go with my
ultra-limited technical experience... but yes, bullets typically add a lot of
readability in a paragraph with tons of things going on)

~~~
lionhearted
I'll add: I'm not sure how much of these are really simple for most hackers,
the way "The U.S. flag is red, white, blue, rectangular, contains 13 stripes
horizontal stripes, and 50 white stars on a blue background as a separate
rectangle in the top-left corner" is simple for an American - but as someone
far more business-inclined than technologically inclined, I can piece together
90% of the changes when reading in bullets, whereas the paragraph is
overwhelming. If it's all super-simple things for a decently skilled hacker,
then never mind the input and congrats on the new release :)

~~~
mechanical_fish
This just makes me chuckle. Apparently you have not seen _Why's other docs,
particularly the epic entitled _Nobody Knows Shoes_.

You're lucky (and I, who have different tastes, am unlucky) that the list
wasn't delivered as a napkin scrawl that could only be read by printing it out
and folding it into a Moebius strip. Or as an illuminated epic poem. Or in
musical form.

------
andrewljohnson
The product look pretty cool, but the marketing sucks.

You should get a business type!

~~~
bprater
_why is one of the most amazing, creative hackers out there. I get the sense
that his goal isn't to take over the planet with Shoes, but he'd rather get
Ruby programming into as many hands as possible.

~~~
gaius
I think his style alienates as many people as it attracts. Ruby also need a
more "normal" advocate.

~~~
unalone
Who does it alienate? Certainly not the mainstream. I've linked his (poignant)
guide to friends who aren't big programming types, and they all fell in love
with it. Isn't that the more important audience as it is? The people who
_want_ to fall in love with programming but _haven't_ yet?

~~~
gaius
Some people like it, some people say "WTF is this!?" and never look at Ruby
again. I'd show WPG to friends but never to "serious" work colleagues.

~~~
unalone
Hmm. That's a shame. It's well-written, easy to follow, and teaches well. I'll
never understand the programming mentality that says hard is better just
because it excludes people.

~~~
nihilocrat
Because a macho programming position will pay you more than one where you can
be more effective with less work and less possibility of error.

