I am confused as to the various web frameworks/mods
available to run Ruby on a web server. Specifically,
I have noticed the following:
eruby
A templating system. Allows one to embed ruby into HTML.
mod_ruby
Works with Apache to have a Ruby interpreter running inside Apache so that one
can use Ruby code on requests.
fastcgi
Protocol to allow applications to run persistently, with the request data
transfered via socket of some flavor from the web server to the persistent
process, handled, then a response transfered back.
ROR
A web application framework. Uses an MVC architecture. Aims to make things
simple via a convention over flexibility design perspective. Heavily
advocated for by many, and is the current "it" thing with Ruby.
Nitro
Another MVC framework, also pretty heavily advocated by some. Doesn't look
much like RoR, but is quite capable and is heavily used by a number of
people, as well.
Jim Freeze, in another email, also mentions:
Seaside
This is a Smalltalk framework. Borges is a ruby implementaiton of a version
of Seaside.
Wee
A framework that now has components with are interoperable with Nitro. It is
inspired in part by Seaside, but is a fresh creation. Neat ideas in it.
IOWA
This is the one that I use, personally. It runs, now, over 50 production
sites/apps and has for well over 3 years, now. It's development has been
driven by my production needs, largely. Development lagged over the last 1/2
year because life sucked, but things have kicked back in, and lots of new
stuff is in the pipe to go along with a ton of new commercial applications,
much of it for a Fortune 500 company! IOWA is also MVC. I have a small
community of active users.
I'm interested in planning some web projects using
Ruby, but I'm not sure the path to take or how they
all fit together.
A lot of people are going to say, "RoR! Best thing since slice bread. Use
IT!" And that may be true for you, or it may not be. Explain what your web
projects are, take the input from everyone, then look around and start asking
questions. RoR or Nitro or IOWA might be a perfect fit for you and what you
need. Or maybe it makes more sense for you to use Amrita2 or XTemplate to
whip something up, or kwartz (another templating system with some neat
ideas).
Currently I'm running Debian sarge with mod_ruby
installed, using the cgi-bin to run all programs.
Oh, lots. 
Kirk Haines
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On Thursday 21 July 2005 6:11 am, Tristan Knowles wrote: