I'll repeat my reply here, because I prefer the discussion participants ;)
After 4+ years with Rails, it was very refreshing to read this insightful post. All the spinning plates is the reason the Rails Way is larger than most of my Java books, and about equal in size to my Spring in Action (2 ed) book. Rails has simply baked too much magic in, and keeping track of it is a nightmare. It might be helped somewhat if the docs were better (and the guides are making this much better), but it’s still painful. Combine that with an inconsistent API and a codebase that takes advantage of virtually every magic trick ruby has to offer, and you have a framework that excites you at first but wears you down over time. I’ve developed very large systems with Rails and it’s served me well, but it’s also made me very weary.
This is the reason both Python in a Nutshell and the Definitive Guide to Django now sit open on my desk. I come seeking clarity, explicitness, and productivity. I’ve shied away from Python for years because of some awful inconsistencies in the language and lack of closures (I <3 closures), but if it keeps things straightforward and clean, I’ll overlook them.
I’ll probably always prefer Ruby as a language in general…as a tool with which to perform magical displays of power and light…but I’m very close to giving up on it for day-to-day real work.
After 4+ years with Rails, it was very refreshing to read this insightful post. All the spinning plates is the reason the Rails Way is larger than most of my Java books, and about equal in size to my Spring in Action (2 ed) book. Rails has simply baked too much magic in, and keeping track of it is a nightmare. It might be helped somewhat if the docs were better (and the guides are making this much better), but it’s still painful. Combine that with an inconsistent API and a codebase that takes advantage of virtually every magic trick ruby has to offer, and you have a framework that excites you at first but wears you down over time. I’ve developed very large systems with Rails and it’s served me well, but it’s also made me very weary.
This is the reason both Python in a Nutshell and the Definitive Guide to Django now sit open on my desk. I come seeking clarity, explicitness, and productivity. I’ve shied away from Python for years because of some awful inconsistencies in the language and lack of closures (I <3 closures), but if it keeps things straightforward and clean, I’ll overlook them.
I’ll probably always prefer Ruby as a language in general…as a tool with which to perform magical displays of power and light…but I’m very close to giving up on it for day-to-day real work.