[FR-devel] New List Member

[walter]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Walter Szewelanczyk and I live in Topsham, Maine (usa).  I 
have been doing software work for the past decade or so.  I started 
off in machine/assembly language, then c/pascal, then c++ for a 
while.  Most recently I have been using Java since it was in alpha 
state and I enjoy it.  

I was travelling with my wife last week and since we had a long plane 
ride, I picked up the Pragmatic Programmer's Ruby book on Friday.  I 
read it that day and played with my first Ruby program saturday 
morning.  The language looks to be exactly what I am looking for.  It 
has built in many of the things that I have been adding to my tool 
chest, over the last several years, in Java and quite frankly its 
hard to beat its dynamic flavor.

My problem is that I am so spoiled by the Java IDE, Intellij IDEA, 
that even though the Ruby language is superior to Java the Intellij 
IDEA is just so good, that it is difficult to leave.  It seems that 
FreeRide is looking to fill this basic gap.  I do plan to start using 
Ruby regularly and will hopefully be able to contribute to this 
project.

If anyone wants some help, albeit slow at first, please feel free to 
send me an email.


The top five things that I miss the most are :
1.) Code completion
2.) Full syntax highlighting
3.) The ability to rename items
4.) The ability to navigate to the source code of a different class   
      item even (if it is in a different file)
5.) The ability to warn of a missing method and automatically create  
       a method when doing TDD.


Thanks,


Walt

P.S.  If anyone knows of other Ruby programmers in Maine, I'd love to 
talk to them.
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Walter Szewelanczyk
IS Director
M.W. Sewall & CO.        email : address@hidden     
259 Front St.            Phone : (207) 442-7994 x 128
Bath, ME 04530           Fax   : (207) 443-6284
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