Clint Hill

I wrote a question to the Phoenix Ruby Users Group. It was actually a question inside an already started topic about Ruby on Rails vs. Java/Tomcat.

The thread was focused on the question of which would you choose with X requirements. The answers started including JRuby and Glassfish and such and it had enough momentum that I thought I could ask if anyone had deployed Ruby on Rails to Websphere. See, at work that’s what we’re doing and I’m hearing stories of problems and server crashes. I was hoping to get some feedback on how or maybe why not to do it.

Fuck. Turned into a damn pissing match. Ruby vs. Java. Yet again.

This one character seemed hell bent on proving everyone wrong on the Ruby group. Yep - a guy who has clear Java interests was on a Ruby group trying to push Java. Wow. No better things to do?

This is where I get bent. I don’t mind if you show me great features of your language. But when you start ridiculing my “intellect” and my experience because I choose Ruby - well brother - you had better bring your A game. And don’t start your argument with “people who chose Ruby don’t know any better”. That’s a bad way to win people.

I’m a language geek. I like them all. I study Lisp, Erlang and Objective C just waiting for a chance to need them. I’m not some dork who just picked up Ruby on Rails in 24 hours. So don’t come at me with your arguments about why Ruby is bad so I should choose Java. Bring me clear arguments for Java and leave Ruby alone. Even better - listen to me when I say “we chose Rails and we have Websphere servers”. That’s the circumstance - discuss. Remember in Apollo 13 the scene where the lead engineer dumps out all the crap into the table and says

“We’ve got to find a way to make this
[square CSM LiOH canister] fit into the hole for this
[round LEM canister] using nothing but that.

That’s how I want you to think. Doesn’t anyone think like this anymore?