Ok, unless you're a person who just doesn't care what types of frameworks or technologies that are out there, you've probably heard of Ruby...and most likely "Ruby on Rails".  Lots of books and opinions have been written about this particular framework and I thought I'd put in my quick 2 cents worth about the subject since I've recently finished up another Ruby/Rails project.

The Real Deal
Ok what's the big deal about it?  Good question.  In a nutshell...speed.  I have to admit, the ability to create a model view framework that takes care of your inserts/deletes/reads/updates in literally 2 seconds or less has to be a draw for any developer who has been through this mundane procedure before even with the advent of some helpful modelers (see my blog on PHP and asp.NET ones: http://www.justicesolutionsllc.com/blogcfm/1/2008/02/57.Getting-the-CRUD-out-in-your-code.cfm).

Ok so what else?  Well there are some very helpful 'helpers' that Ruby provides that does actually make things quite easy when needing a membership module built, or a quick and easy shopping cart, etc. 

Custom Pathways are another neat little feature of RoR.  If you want you can defined a custom path based upon a users input, a page they enter on, a word they type after the page.  It's really a super version of taking 404 error rewrites and doing something useful with them in a very easy to use fashion.

The Down
So there's gotta be a downside right?  Otherwise everyone would be RoR-ing about it.  (btw...RoR is short for "Ruby on Rails").  Anyway, what I've found personally is an issue with the server speed and sometimes the paths you create take a while for good ol' Roob' to figure out and deliver the page.  If you use a "mongrel" server base vs. Apache or IIS (yes it can run on it) things do improve. 

However, there are some tweaks and tunes you'll need to do in order to get it to run just right. 

It's a typical Linux type scenario that most of us have been through.  Yes...the Linux based server config of Lamp (Linux/Apache/MySQL/PHP) does run very well and hardly ever crashes....however setting up that ideal system with your own custom needs sometimes does become its own beast.

Like all frameworks there are some cool features that unfortunately create other problems.  Some are not obvious until Mongrel crashes unexpectedly on you like it did me when I was using Ruby's neat little refresh Ajax control that basically can be used to update data in a <DIV> every second if you'd like.  The problem....it also submits the variables of a POST form as a blank at the same time if you're not careful.

"Let Me Explain...no....there is too much....Let me Sum Up." (I'll award a gift certificate to a national chain restaurant to the person who emails me at doug@justicesolutionsllc.com with the answer to where that quote is from.  No Matt Krause...you are not eligible....lol)

So should you go Rails?  The answer like I say to so many new clients who ask me the same question about asp.NET, PHP, ColdFusion, Flash, and yes...Rails...is simply this.  It depends.  It depends on your budget, your site's future development needs, the availability of a developer who knows RoR...etc. 

If you have a site that is pretty simple that maybe requires a blog, some simple data entry and data display...I'd say go Rails in an instant.  You could literally build that entire concept in probably an hour or two at the most.  But, if you're going large scale and have a lot of unknowns in your development and business plan path...perhaps another language may work a bit better for you.  Again, it depends on your developer.

So there's my two cents on rails.  For a look at this latest Rails project we've launched recently and continue to develop on (btw....great company with a great concept), check out http://www.gqex.net when you get a chance.

Happy Coding!

Doug.

Hi everyone.  Need to keep this light for a Friday since I have had one helluva week.  So what better way then to play movie critic....well not really.

Yellow Flag on the Track
I promised my son that I would take him to see Speed Racer today.  As a father, I so enjoy taking him to movies that he is really looking forward to.  However, given that this wasn't Monsters Inc., or Garfield...I was somewhat concerned if in fact he would enjoy it.  Strangely enough, I was pretty concerned for myself being that I grew up watching Speed Racer cartoons and as strange as they were, I really liked them.  However, making it into a live action move....definitely needed a yellow flag on the track.

Green Flag
The good news...we both loved it.  Even at 2 hours and 15 minutes, he was on the edge of his seat the whole time.  So by now you're wondering what Speed Racer has anything to do with web development and design, so I'll let you off the hook.  The marketing job of a web designer is to cater to their client's target market.  However, when the audience ranges from young to old, our jobs become very tough and we need to take cues from the Wachowski Brothers as to how to do it well.

Designing for the Masses
Even though this movie has been getting blasted in the movie reviews (which is not surprising considering Underdog got blasted even worse and is one of mine and my kids favorite films) it is a great example of how to take a wide audience range and piece together a presentation to keep all parties interested.

Speed Racer catered to boys obviously because of the cars and some pretty intense racing scenes, however it also catered to girls because of some great humor by Speed's younger brother, Spritle and his pet chimp, Chim Chim.  I also think the bright colors appealed to both as well.

For the adults, the wives/mothers/girlfriends who may have gotten dragged to this film by their husbands/boyfriends/kids seemed to really enjoy the storyline.  It actually surprisingly had a very good one, and I don't think the CGI graphics hurt either.

For the guys, who doesn't love a lot of action, fast cars, and some pretty nice eye candy courtesy of some scantily clad female airline attendants, vegas showgirl looking grand prix driver escorts, and yes....a very nice outfit worn by Christina Ricci.

Websites are Much Like Movies
So if you approach web design from the same thought pattern, you essentially can design websites that can cater to a wide array of audience members.  Therefore potentially reaching a wider customer base.  Even if the members themselves viewing the site aren't potential buyers, if they like the site, they will probably mention it to someone who does. 

And don't rule out putting in some things for kids.  Let's say you are designing a site for a pest control company.  Creating a nicely organized, informative website with good monthly prices will probably get the attention of the adult homeowners you are looking for. 

How Kids Can Be Helpful in Reaching Your Buyers
But let's say you throw in a flash ant farm game, or something like pick up the food before the cockroaches get it (I know I need help).  And one family who is looking at pest control companies finds it on the internet...sees the game....has their child play it....who then tells their friends at school about it...they all go home...ask permission to play it (we hope) and then the parents of those ten kids see it....viola'....you've just reached another 10 homes through young adults who probably think bugs are a lot cooler than you do!

So if you get a chance, go see Speed Racer and see how you can appeal to a very wide audience range, and at the same time...see what changes you can make to your own website to appeal to a wider range as well.

Happy Coding!

Doug.

Have you ever visited a website that had so much information on the home page you just didn't know where to begin?  I've been to them too.  It almost gives you a headache. 

Marketing 101
Some of the best marketing minds have written (and I remember this from my own marketing classes in college) it is best to give your visitors a chance to decompress when they enter your store.  Now of course they were referring to retail stores, but the same theory applies to websites.  Take these two sites (click for a larger view):
  


Both are nicely designed, but the 2nd clearly gives you a moment to take in everything, figure out where you're needing to go...and then go there.


Be Nice to Your Users Through Simple Elegance.
As CNN clearly demonstrated...they have more links and loops because they are in fact a news company.  However, as a user coming to their site....I get overwhelmed.  If they would just set up a few custom paths for their users, I think their site would be much better received in the web.  So remember this term...."Simple Elegance".  It is the term we here at Justice Solutions coin for our design concepts.


Custom Pathways
I'll probably dedicate a blog to this next week and come back and link to it from here, but to give you a preview...I've been telling some of my larger clients that if you have more than 20 different places any user could go to from your home page....consider the use of custom pathways.  Because even the most busy and huge sites could probably take the 100+ links they have (to major sections that is...not individual articles, etc.) and categorize their users to fit into maybe a handful of choices.  So instead of a vacation destination having tons of links to hotels, flights, restaurants, attractions, etc.  Change it to "Plan My Trip", "What to Do When I Arrive", "Where Can I Eat".  Then once in that subpage...give them the options to plan their trip with links to your flights, hotels, etc.

Well that's it for this week.  Remember....Simple Elegance....let the user take in your site....admire the design....hell you paid for it....so might as well let your users enjoy it too.  Until next week....happy coding.  Chief Superhero Doug, out.

Doug.