This post originated from an RSS feed registered with Ruby Buzz by David Heinemeier Hansson. Original Post: Arrogance, ignorance, and a blinding Sun Feed Title: Loud Thinking Feed URL: http://feeds.feedburner.com/LoudThinking Feed Description: All about the full-stack, web-framework Rails for Ruby and on putting it to good effect with Basecamp Latest Ruby Buzz Posts Latest Ruby Buzz Posts by David Heinemeier Hansson Latest Posts From Loud Thinking

Statements like this is the reason I love picking on Java programmers:

The scripting languages like Perl, Python, PHP, and Ruby are useful for quickly hacking up a Web site. However, as Fowler's "Principles of Enterprise Application Architecture" notes, they are pretty much limited to the "Transaction Script" model.

The shear amount of arrogance and ignorance contained is staggering. It would appear as if Doug is simply playing word bingo and called it when he spotted that "Transaction Script" and "Scripting Language" were close enough.

There is absolutely no inherent connection between the two terms (neither does Fowler attempt to make one from page 110 to 115 of PoEAA that talks about Transaction Scripts — he even uses Java as the example!).

In Rails, as an example, we're using the Active Record pattern (relieved of the chief concerns with the original pattern) to facilitate the building of a strong domain model. We're using Action Pack, which is founded in the gulf between Page Controller and Front Controller along with a Template View and use of Helpers.

But this is not about name dropping patterns. It's about people working under a Sun that has all but blinded them from an outside world that doesn't appreciate the masochistic fascination with hard, manual labour and the real sweat it breaks. And Dough isn't even affraid to admit it:

Quickly? J2EE isn't really about building things quickly

I guess that's the self-referential reality that kicks in after you've spent another day working the nine to five in a XML configured and compiled sweatshop.

And the call to authority really underlines the audacity of exhibited. Martin Fowler is himself a big Ruby enthusiast from all that I've read, been told, and talked with him, so it's particularly ironic to see his name abused to spearhead an attack on the language.

P.S.: Unlike Graham, I don't necessarily think it's all Java programmers that share this combination of A and I, but it's just that there are so many that do. It makes it hard not to let those stereotypes assume the public face of The Java Programmer. Not impossible, just hard.