Posted by Curt Hibbs
Thu, 29 Sep 2005 07:00:00 GMT
IBM just released a major update to its Reflexive User Interface Builder for constructing and rendering graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for AWT, Swing, and SWT. What caught my eye was that it makes use of Aspect Oriented Programming (AOP):
Version 1.2 includes four Eclipse plug-ins that fully integrate RIB into the Eclipse environment. RIB also has introduced aspect-oriented programming techniques in order to automatically and non-invasively validate Java GUI-based applications, including JVM-based executables such as the Eclipse workbench itself.
You’ll have to dig into their white paper to understand what they mean by GUI validation (its not testing), but it made me wonder if this technique could also be used for GUI testing GUIs—something that has always been difficult.
Its something to think about…
Posted in software development | no comments
Posted by Curt Hibbs
Mon, 26 Sep 2005 07:00:00 GMT
Via OSNews I just read an article by Bruce Tate explaining why Ruby is better suited to lightweight development than Java.
The Java™ programming language is powerful, but it has significant limitations for lightweight development. For certain problems, other programming languages such as Ruby may lead to better productivity. This article shows you what’s important for productivity in an application’s language.
This article covers some of the same ground as Bruce’s recent book Beyond Java.
Posted in ruby, rails | no comments
Posted by Curt Hibbs
Tue, 20 Sep 2005 07:00:00 GMT
Like most everything in life, conventional wisdom is a double-edged sword that has both good and bad sides. On the plus side its a great time saver, helping us to avoid making the same mistakes over and over. On the negative side it can stifle creativity and innovation.
True wisdom, on the other hand, is the ability to decide when a piece of conventional wisdom applies, and when it does not. I’m always interested in the kind of knowledge and experience that lets me increase my quota of true wisdom.
So, it is in this spirit that I recommend Kevin Barne’s little piece titled Three reasons to reinvent the wheel.
I get so tired of the worn out expression, “let’s not re-invent the wheel.” It’s used as a conversation stopper to inform you that you are straying from the well worn path of software sanity. There is no mention that this well worn path now employs nearly two million people to write what are essentially the same CRUD applications that were written on mainframes in the 1970s. It is a statement that life is good and you should rejoin the flower people on the primrose path to happiness. So, here is my answer, the three reasons you should reinvent the wheel.
His three reasons are:
- The wheel sucks
- You don’t understand wheels
- They don’t sell wheels at the Kwik-E Mart
Go read his posting for the details.
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Posted by Curt Hibbs
Fri, 16 Sep 2005 07:00:00 GMT
Go ahead, admit it… you really want to know whether Ruby is better than Java (or Perl, or C#, or… you-name-it). Pragmatic Programmer Dave Thomas has the answer for us: no. Of course he also says the answer to “is Java better than Ruby” is no as well. But, you already knew that didn’t you?
My reason for bringing this to your attention is that Dave is planning to post a series of articles, each one addressing one of the hot-button issues that always come up when people want to compare Ruby with other programming languages.
This is important, because Dave is a clear thinker whose opinions I trust. He has a way of cutting through the FUD and addressing the issues with - dare I say - pragmatic fervor.
The first post addresses the issue of performance. Its definitely worth reading, and I’m looking forward to the future installments.
Posted in ruby | no comments
Posted by Curt Hibbs
Fri, 09 Sep 2005 07:00:00 GMT
Pragmatic Programmer Dave Thomas gives us a characteristically pragmatic answer to this question.
So when people ask “should I be using Rails instead of Java?”, the answer has to be “not exclusively: you’re likely to want to use Rails as well as Java.” Why? Because I’m a firm believer in having a bag of tools at your disposal, tools that you know how and—most importantly—when to use. When Rails is appropriate, you’re going to be hard pressed to find a more productive environment.
This is the most thoughtful piece I have read that gives advice on when to use (and when not to use) Ruby on Rails. He also has some really practical advice on ways to introduce Rails in your company.
If you are wondering how (or whether) to introduce Rails in your company, this is a must read.
Posted in rails | no comments
