The Ruby Gems Podcast

Marty Haught and David Hill

A Ruby Central podcast that takes an inside look at the people, projects, and progress shaping the Ruby community.  Discover the gems in Ruby and connect to this vibrant group of amazing people.

Episodes

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    Rails World: Amanda Perino

    Amanda Perino, Executive Director of the Rails Foundation, shares insights into Rails World's evolution and the foundation's growth strategy for supporting the global Ruby on Rails community. From creative conference elements like the Ruby Embassy experience to strategic partnerships with regional events, Amanda reveals how they're building sustainability while maintaining the community's playful spirit. • Rails World returned to Amsterdam with continued enthusiasm despite using the same venue • New elements added this year include a chill-out lounge, Ruby Embassy experience, and Ruby phone installation • The Ruby passport system will connect global Ruby events with stamps from different conferences • Rails Foundation partners with regional conferences like Tropical on Rails rather than organizing events in every region • Balancing conference size (targeting 1100-1200 attendees) to maintain community feel while satisfying sponsors • Rails Foundation operates with four pillars: documentation, education, marketing, and events • Current focus includes updating documentation for Rails 8, creating educational resources, and producing case studies • Foundation plans to grow beyond one full-time employee for long-term sustainability • Community members can contribute by reviewing documentation PRs or participating in Rails in Focus videos If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and consider leaving a five-star review. It really helps others find the podcast.

    45 min

  2. 22 SEPT

    Rails World: Roy Tomeij and Ali Krynitsky

    Roy Tomeij and Ali Krynitsky join us at Rails World Amsterdam to discuss the European Ruby community's revival and the growing landscape of Ruby conferences across the continent.  • Roy shares his Ruby journey starting in 2005 when his team switched from Java to Rails 0.12 • AppSignal co-founder explains their approach to community sponsorship beyond just recruitment • Ali details how COVID decimated many Ruby meetups, creating the need for fresh initiatives • Baltic Ruby conference travels to different locations to revitalize local Ruby communities • Ruby Europe Foundation connects approximately 20 meetup organizers across European countries • Both guests emphasize the need for new blood in the mature Ruby community • RubyEvents.org serves as a central hub for all Ruby conference recordings • Practical advice for new conference organizers: secure sponsors first and share the workload • The "Euruko effect" - how hosting the traveling conference often inspires organizers to create their own events • AppSignal's famous Stroopwafels have become a beloved Ruby community tradition If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and consider leaving a five-star review. It really helps others find the podcast.

    40 min

  3. 15 SEPT

    Adam McCrea: Judoscale

    Adam McCrea shares how he turned a side project into JudoScale, a Ruby-focused auto-scaler now powering thousands of apps.  We discuss his origins in the Ruby community, how he (mostly) bootstrapped the company, and admits he's pretty much living the dream.  We also look ahead at new potential features like DinoSniper and proactive scaling. JudoscaleRocky Mountain Ruby is coming up, on October 6th, in Boulder, Colorado.  It's a single-track, community-focused conference that always draws an amazing group of people.  Tickets are on sale now, so if you're in the area, or if you're just looking for an excuse to spend some time in the Rockies, you should definitely check it out.

    39 min

  4. 28 AUG

    Sean Marcia: Ruby for Good

    Sean Marcia, founder of Ruby for Good, takes us behind the scenes of an organization that's transforming how developers contribute to social impact. What began as a way to help nonprofits with their software needs has blossomed into a thriving community where coders of all experience levels build sustainable, open-source solutions for organizations serving vulnerable populations. RubyGems funding model post (part of intro before Sean joins)Ruby for GoodUpcoming event, Sept 11-14Rocky Mountain Ruby is coming up, on October 6th, in Boulder, Colorado.  It's a single-track, community-focused conference that always draws an amazing group of people.  Tickets are on sale now, so if you're in the area, or if you're just looking for an excuse to spend some time in the Rockies, you should definitely check it out.

    28 min

  5. 11 AUG

    Sarah Mei: RailsBridge, Community Building, and the Human Side of Code

    Sarah Mei, a longtime Ruby community leader and former Ruby Central board member, shares her journey from co-founding RailsBridge to advocating for diversity and human-centered software development. • Co-founded RailsBridge in 2009 to help thousands from underrepresented backgrounds enter tech • Reflects on the evolution of RailsConf and Ruby Central's future focus on Ruby • Shares memories of the early internet era before "the internet had cats" • Explains how representation and diversity at conferences influenced her journey • Discusses how code design should be contextual, evolving, and focused on clarity • Describes the connection between team communication patterns and code quality • Explores why people, not code, are the most valuable asset in software development • Compares AI programming assistance to the transition to garbage collection in the 90s • Celebrates the resurgence of local Ruby meetups and community events Rocky Mountain Ruby is coming up, on October 6th, in Boulder, Colorado.  It's a single-track, community-focused conference that always draws an amazing group of people.  Tickets are on sale now, so if you're in the area, or if you're just looking for an excuse to spend some time in the Rockies, you should definitely check it out.

    49 min

  6. 28 JUL

    Evan Phoenix: From Rubinius to Ruby Central

    In this episode of the Ruby Gems Podcast, hosts David Hill and Marty Haught sit down with Evan Phoenix, a notable figure in the Ruby community. They discuss Evan's contributions in the Ruby space, including the development of Rubinius and Puma, his role in solving scalability issues for Rails developers, and his tenure on the Ruby Central Board since 2011. The conversation also delves into Evan's journey with Ruby and his fascination with how things work. Additionally, Evan shares insights on the importance of maintainership in open source projects, the evolution of Ruby Central, and the impact of the pandemic on the community and conferences. Evan wraps up with his current ventures and thoughts on the future of tech and AI in coding. Rubinius repoPumabenchmark-ipsRocky Mountain Ruby is coming up, on October 6th, in Boulder, Colorado.  It's a single-track, community-focused conference that always draws an amazing group of people.  Tickets are on sale now, so if you're in the area, or if you're just looking for an excuse to spend some time in the Rockies, you should definitely check it out.

    52 min

  7. 9 JUL

    Chad Fowler: The beginning of Ruby Central, RubyConf, and RubyGems

    In this inaugural episode of the Ruby Gems Podcast, hosted by Marty Haught and David Hill, guest Chad Fowler shares the founding story of Ruby Central and the development of Ruby Gems. Fowler, a key figure in the Ruby community, discusses the early days of Ruby conferences, the creation of Ruby Central as a nonprofit, and the collaborative effort to build Ruby Gems. The conversation also covers the rise of Ruby on Rails, community dynamics, and the importance of the 'MINASWAN' philosophy.  00:00 Podcast Intro 00:46 Meet Chad Fowler: A Ruby Central Founder 01:42 The Humble Beginnings of Ruby Central 03:03 The First RubyConf: A Small but Impactful Start 04:17 Establishing Ruby Central as a Nonprofit 05:17 The Evolution of RubyConf 09:09 The Birth of RubyGems 15:12 The Rise of Ruby on Rails 19:14 Rails vs Ruby: The Early Days 20:11 The Rise of Ruby in the Job Market 21:05 The Rails Revolution: 2005-2006 26:57 O'Reilly's Influence on RailsConf 30:16 The Merb vs Rails Conflict 32:06 The Impact of Matz on the Ruby Community 37:29 Ruby Roundup: Rapid Fire Questions 41:02 Closing Thoughts and Farewell Rocky Mountain Ruby is coming up, on October 6th, in Boulder, Colorado.  It's a single-track, community-focused conference that always draws an amazing group of people.  Tickets are on sale now, so if you're in the area, or if you're just looking for an excuse to spend some time in the Rockies, you should definitely check it out.

    42 min

  8. SEASON 1 TRAILER

    Trailer

    Get to know the people and stories shaping the Ruby community. Hosted by David Hill and Marty Haught, The Ruby Gems Podcast shares conversations with developers, maintainers, and leaders making an impact. Subscribe and catch our first episode soon!

    1 min

Trailer

About

A Ruby Central podcast that takes an inside look at the people, projects, and progress shaping the Ruby community.  Discover the gems in Ruby and connect to this vibrant group of amazing people.

Information

  • Creator
    Marty Haught and David Hill
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Ruby Gems Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Ruby Gems Podcast
  • Provider

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