On Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 9:24 PM, doug livesey <[email protected]> wrote: >> Oooo can I talk about node.js again? ;)
Node.js[1] is one of several emerging approaches of the Server side Javascript 'movement'... loosely grouped together under the banner of 'CommonJS' [2]. Node.js is particularly interesting to me because it is a) Based on Google's silly fast V8 javascript engine and b) Event orientated. Effectively being server side javascript means that I don't have to do the mental gear shifting of switching between languages when working with code that executes on the server side and code that executes on the client side (say switching from Ruby to Javascript, or C# to Javascript) ... don't get me wrong I'm perfectly capable of it, but the reason I got involved with Java way back when was the promise of Applets, being able to write my code in one language and just have it work! ... unfortunately for whatever reason that never came to be :( You can also share you code between the server and the client, operate on common data-models (JSON) and do cool stuff like shift your template generation off to the client if javascript is available, or just do it on the server and push it down as built HTML if it isn't [3].. The utter absence of threads and the dogged adherence to doing anything blocking on an asynchronous callback in node means that you never have to worry about synchronisation issues you can just get on with writing the code as you'd want it to work. (As with anything it is possible to get race conditions if you're clever enough, but the risk is very much reduced.) Javascript as a language is reasonably well suited to Ruby programmers as it is very flexible in what it allows you to do to the built in primitives (although not nearly as flexible as Ruby). The sharing of code between the server and the client is also nice as it means I can test it thoroughly using something like JSpec [4] and know that it'll just work TM in both places, sweet ! :) Its also a fairly exciting (read change-heavy) community to be involved in at the moment, for example there is a new web framework coming out of the door each and every day. I'm most closely associated with is Express. but 'fab' [6] is the current darling of the community (it is a very interesting project, but hurts my head :) ) If you want to learn some more I can (horribly biased'ly) suggest my tutorial on going from 0-60 with node.js, to create your own very Web 2.0 mongoDb backed Blog engine [7] I don't think the ruby/rails community has much to worry about at the minute, but its worth a moment to check out the benchmarks we've recently done on the performance of SASS & HAML js ports against the ruby versions [8] Take care y'all :) [1] - http://nodejs.org/ [2] - http://commonjs.org/ [3] - http://www.yuiblog.com/blog/2010/04/09/node-js-yui-3-dom-manipulation-oh-my/ [4] - http://github.com/visionmedia/jspec [5] - http://expressjs.com [6] - http://fabjs.org [7] - http://howtonode.org/express-mongodb [8] - http://tjholowaychuk.com/post/543953703/express-vs-sinatra-benchmarks > Talk away, for me! > > On 23 April 2010 20:42, Ciaran <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> On Friday, April 23, 2010, doug livesey <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> I would happily sit and talk JavaScript all day Doug. Give me a shout. >> >> I'm no expert but been doing it a few years now and really enjoy it. >> >> Except >> >> in IE6 :) >> > >> > >> > You've said it now! >> > When you say you're no expert, that's in the British, self-effacing, >> > secretly-really-an-expert-but-too-bashful-to-say-so way, right? ;) >> > >> > I'm spending a bit more time with JS as I play with Unity, but that's >> > not got some of the really cool features like closures, and it's rather >> > more >> > OO (based on files), but still -- it's getting my fingers' JS fluency up! >> >> Oooo can I talk about node.js again? ;) >> -cj >> > >> > Part of the problem with JS for me was testing, but Screw.Unit goes a >> > long way to fixing that for me. Actually, part of the problem in getting to >> > know any language or framework is that, now, I want to approach everything >> > from a BDD (or TDD at least) perspective, but that's just not how they are >> > taught. When all you have is a hammer, I guess ... >> > >> > >> >> Part of the problem of being know as/selling yourself as a "Rails guy" >> >> or whatever is that it emphasises the least important skill (knowledge of >> >> a >> >> programming language/framework etc) and omits the most important skill >> >> (being able to produce something that works properly and solves someone's >> >> actual problem). I guess "Rails rockstar" is just about the most damning >> >> description of a developer you could wish for... >> > >> > >> > I *will* be quoting that! >> > >> > On 22 April 2010 20:54, Ashley Moran <[email protected]> >> > wrote: >> > >> > On 22 Apr 2010, at 8:10 PM, doug livesey wrote: >> > >> >> I still can't understand how anyone can code anything of any complexity >> >> without BDD (or TDD or whatever flavour). I know it's possible -- I used >> >> to >> >> do it, but hell if I can figure how. >> > >> > Part of the problem of being know as/selling yourself as a "Rails guy" >> > or whatever is that it emphasises the least important skill (knowledge of a >> > programming language/framework etc) and omits the most important skill >> > (being able to produce something that works properly and solves someone's >> > actual problem). I guess "Rails rockstar" is just about the most damning >> > description of a developer you could wish for... >> > >> > Just my 2 awesome cents. >> > >> > Ash >> > >> > -- >> > http://www.patchspace.co.uk/ >> > http://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleymoran >> > >> > >> > >> > -- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> > Groups "NWRUG" group. >> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > [email protected]. >> > For more options, visit this group at >> > http://groups.google.com/group/nwrug-members?hl=en. >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > -- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> > Groups "NWRUG" group. >> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > [email protected]. >> > For more options, visit this group at >> > http://groups.google.com/group/nwrug-members?hl=en. >> > >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "NWRUG" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/nwrug-members?hl=en. >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "NWRUG" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/nwrug-members?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NWRUG" group. 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