A Ruby
If you’re a tech head, and you’ve been around Object Orientated languages – then you’ve surely heard of Ruby.
I’ve been around people who are passionate about Ruby, but never caught the bug. What I did do whilst others were programming away, was read about ruby. One day whilst reading I came across the name of an online persona Why the lucky stiff, also known as _why.
_why
Whilst _why was/is considered a prolific and influential programmer of Ruby, what was fascinating was his disappearance. In August 2009, he withdrew from “public” life – specifically all his online presence was deleted. He closed up his blog, twitter account and github account. Plenty of people have ensured his code and writing not only live on but continue, and you can read more of his eccentric writings at his estate.
However, my interest here is his book: Why’s (poignant) Guide to Ruby
Some have innocuously declared the 19th of August as “Why Day“. What better way to celebrate knowledge than to start reading a book, and why not read the guide book itself?! I’m just a regular old person, so far unaware of Ruby and its intricacies. I may even be able to teach a child what I learn.
I declare that starting from August, and thanks to #whyday, I’ll start reading his guide to Ruby – hence furthering my limited knowledge of Object Orientation in programming. At least once a week I’ll write something I’ve learnt about Ruby, because _why once tweeted “programming is rather thankless. you see your works become replaced by superior works in a year“. Hopefully what I write will be thanks.
I’ll leave you with another quote from _why that used to be at the front of his code repository for Ruby: “If you are just a regular old person unawares, I still believe that great things can come from you, but only if you will just leave this place immediately and begin your quest to invent a machine for turning pure kinetic energy into animals.”
Ruby Icon courtesy the Ruby Visual Identity Team
Photo of _why courtesy of Snowblink
