Ruby (programming language)

Ruby is a dynamic, reflective, general-purpose object-oriented programming language that combines syntax inspired by Perl with Smalltalk-like features. It was also influenced by Eiffel and Lisp. Ruby was first designed and developed in the mid-1990s by Yukihiro "Matz" Matsumoto in Japan.

• I always knew that one day Smalltalk would replace Java. I just didn't know it would be called Ruby.
  • Kent Beck As cited in: Giles Bowkett (2007) "Smalltalk, Outside The Ivory Tower?". at Giles Bowkett.blogspot.com July 15, 2007

• Some may say Ruby is a bad rip-off of Lisp or Smalltalk, and I admit that. But it is nicer to ordinary people.
  • Yukihiro Matsumoto, cited in: Pat Eyler (2009) "MWRC 2009 Mini-Interview: Philippe Hanrigou", on-ruby.blogspot.nl March 3, 2009

• Everyone has an individual background. Someone may come from Python, someone else may come from Perl, and they may be surprised by different aspects of the language. Then they come up to me and say, 'I was surprised by this feature of the language, so Ruby violates the principle of least surprise.' Wait. Wait. The principle of least surprise is not for you only. The principle of least surprise means principle of least my surprise. And it means the principle of least surprise after you learn Ruby very well. For example, I was a C++ programmer before I started designing Ruby. I programmed in C++ exclusively for two or three years. And after two years of C++ programming, it still surprises me.
  • Yukihiro Matsumoto "The Philosophy of Ruby, A Conversation with Yukihiro Matsumoto, Part I" by Bill Venners on 2003-09-29 (Artima Developer

• "Everything is an object" - Smalltalk and its children. (whispered:) Ruby. (laughter)
  • Larry Wall "Present Continuous - Future Perfect", Taken from the transcript of the talk.

• [Boxed] Multiple bouncing balls in a box are a metaphor for community. Notice how the escaping balls explode. This is what happens to people who move from Perl to Ruby.
  • Larry Wall "The State of the Onion", perl.com, 2004-08-18 : In reference to the boxed screensaver that comes with xscreensaver.
• Yukihiro Matsumoto interview 2019 "What makes Ruby shine"

Wikipedia has an article about:

Ruby (programming language)

Wikibooks has a book on the topic of

Ruby Programming