J
James Edward Gray II
When I started the Ruby Quiz project, I made some off-hand comment =20
along the lines of, "Surely I can keep it going for a couple of =20
years=85" No matter how you measure, we have passed that goal.
The Ruby Quiz has now run for over three years calendar time. If you =20=
prefer to count quizzes released, we're ten shy of three full years =20
of quizzes. That's beyond anything I ever imagined.
I cannot properly express how much I've enjoyed running the quiz. It =20=
is, quite literally, how I learned the Ruby programming language. =20
Summarizing the solutions each week had me reading through countless =20
examples of great code where I picked up idioms, learned new =20
algorithms, and just generally saw what good programming looks like. =20=
That's just what I personally got out of it.
Externally, the quiz grew well beyond my expectations. It spawned a =20
book, some of the quizzes have been translated into other languages, =20
and I've seen it referred to in many places as a terrific source of =20
"Getting Started with Ruby" projects.
I say it a lot, but I want to once again thank all who have =20
contributed to the quiz in any way. You have created an amazing =20
resource.
If there is a downside to running a project like this, it would have =20
to be that it eats time. I've automated the Ruby Quiz as much as I =20
am able to, but it still takes several hours a week for me. That's a =20=
combination of all that it requires: generating quiz ideas, working =20
with contributors to get their ideas ready, preparing a problem for =20
release, collecting solutions as they come in, playing with the =20
solutions enough that I understand them, and summarizing what I saw. =20=
I also try to participate in the discussions.
I've gladly maintained this continuing commitment, but I think we all =20=
knew I couldn't keep it up forever. I'm involved in many Ruby =20
projects now and I would like to give some of them the time and =20
attention I've given to the Ruby Quiz these last three years.
Beyond the constraints of time, I'm running out of good quiz ideas. =20
The well isn't bone dry just yet, but I'm sometimes scrambling to =20
keep the ideas flowing now.
Given all of that, I've decided that the end of my watch over the =20
Ruby Quiz has come. I will run ten more quizzes, so we can say that =20
I covered three years no matter how the count is done. Quiz 156 will =20=
be my last challenge.
Don't make the mistake of thinking this means the quiz is winding =20
down. We're going to have some great content in our last few months, =20=
starting with this week's problem which I think is great. We're =20
going out at the top of our game like all the greats projects do.
My hope is that we'll see a new quizmaster grab the reigns and launch =20=
Ruby Quiz 2.0. I often have to sit out problems I really want to =20
play in just because there isn't enough free time left for solving =20
after running the show, so you could count on the fact that at least =20
one person here would be an active contributor. Besides, if you want =20=
to learn a whole lot of Ruby voodoo, I can assure you there's no =20
better way. Think it over.
I'll close this long message now and get back to running the quiz. =20
Send me your great ideas for our homestretch run.
Thanks again to all quiz fans.
James Edward Gray II
along the lines of, "Surely I can keep it going for a couple of =20
years=85" No matter how you measure, we have passed that goal.
The Ruby Quiz has now run for over three years calendar time. If you =20=
prefer to count quizzes released, we're ten shy of three full years =20
of quizzes. That's beyond anything I ever imagined.
I cannot properly express how much I've enjoyed running the quiz. It =20=
is, quite literally, how I learned the Ruby programming language. =20
Summarizing the solutions each week had me reading through countless =20
examples of great code where I picked up idioms, learned new =20
algorithms, and just generally saw what good programming looks like. =20=
That's just what I personally got out of it.
Externally, the quiz grew well beyond my expectations. It spawned a =20
book, some of the quizzes have been translated into other languages, =20
and I've seen it referred to in many places as a terrific source of =20
"Getting Started with Ruby" projects.
I say it a lot, but I want to once again thank all who have =20
contributed to the quiz in any way. You have created an amazing =20
resource.
If there is a downside to running a project like this, it would have =20
to be that it eats time. I've automated the Ruby Quiz as much as I =20
am able to, but it still takes several hours a week for me. That's a =20=
combination of all that it requires: generating quiz ideas, working =20
with contributors to get their ideas ready, preparing a problem for =20
release, collecting solutions as they come in, playing with the =20
solutions enough that I understand them, and summarizing what I saw. =20=
I also try to participate in the discussions.
I've gladly maintained this continuing commitment, but I think we all =20=
knew I couldn't keep it up forever. I'm involved in many Ruby =20
projects now and I would like to give some of them the time and =20
attention I've given to the Ruby Quiz these last three years.
Beyond the constraints of time, I'm running out of good quiz ideas. =20
The well isn't bone dry just yet, but I'm sometimes scrambling to =20
keep the ideas flowing now.
Given all of that, I've decided that the end of my watch over the =20
Ruby Quiz has come. I will run ten more quizzes, so we can say that =20
I covered three years no matter how the count is done. Quiz 156 will =20=
be my last challenge.
Don't make the mistake of thinking this means the quiz is winding =20
down. We're going to have some great content in our last few months, =20=
starting with this week's problem which I think is great. We're =20
going out at the top of our game like all the greats projects do.
My hope is that we'll see a new quizmaster grab the reigns and launch =20=
Ruby Quiz 2.0. I often have to sit out problems I really want to =20
play in just because there isn't enough free time left for solving =20
after running the show, so you could count on the fact that at least =20
one person here would be an active contributor. Besides, if you want =20=
to learn a whole lot of Ruby voodoo, I can assure you there's no =20
better way. Think it over.
I'll close this long message now and get back to running the quiz. =20
Send me your great ideas for our homestretch run.
Thanks again to all quiz fans.
James Edward Gray II