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Ryan talks design on the Rails Podcast Ryan Jun 03

11 comments Latest by Massimo Sgrelli

I just got back from RailsConf in Portland. It was really fun to be a designer among a sea of programmers. I spent a lot of time talking to programmers about what designers do on a Rails team and how we should work together. A number of those ideas worked their way into an interview with Geoffrey Grosenbach of PeepCode. Listen to the podcast at Rails Podcast.

UPDATE: Here are some quick video interviews with Ryan, Jeremy, and David from RailsConf 2008.

Ryan Singer


Jeremy Kemper


David Heinemeier Hansson

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11 comments so far

Jonathan Ng 03 Jun 08

This was one of my favorite talks out of all the sessions during RailsConf.

Raymond Brigleb 03 Jun 08

I enjoyed Ryan’s talk a ton. David’s also. I personally wasn’t sure that half the audience really got it (for either), as there were some disparaging comments I overheard after each.

However, I thought the talk on Designers and Programmers was very interesting. There were a number of ideas I hadn’t really thought of, such as how version control can be useful to designers, and it was somewhat comforting to see a designer being comfortable with working on the code in Rails views. And not worrying about “breaking tests!”

David’s talk was great, too. I would sum it up as “get a hobby!” It kind of reminded me of that old SNL skit where William Shatner is talking to a bunch of Star Trek fans and tells them to “get a life.” Sure, programming is great, but you need to use the rest of your brain! You need to take breaks, get some sleep, and learn other disciplines. It’s certainly helped me, and I’ve always heard stories of epiphanies that happen when you’re NOT thinking about the problem you’re working on at that particular moment. Relax, and inspiration will come to you!

A big thanks to all three of you for the talks at RailsConf this year. They were all high points in an already excellent (third) conference!

aubrey 03 Jun 08

I’m sad I can’t get this to play on my iPod touch. I can subscribe, but it doesn’t seem to like the video format.

Arlo 03 Jun 08

That short clip conveyed more about you guys than the countless blog posts I’ve read and products of yours that I’ve used. I think your blogs read a little condescending and at the same time self-absorbed, but seeing Ryan’s clip broke it down to show your plain old enthusiasm and interest (read: nerdiness) that I’m able to relate to and is genuinely respectable.

David Andersen 03 Jun 08

Well said Ryan.

Dhrumil 04 Jun 08

Ryan, you’re a beast. Keep up the yoga.

Massimo Sgrelli 04 Jun 08

@aubrey These interviews have been made by GotThingsDone.com – my company – and we’ll make them available starting from today in iPhone/iPod compatible format at http://www.railsonwave.com or at http://factory.wavegroup.it

Aubrey 04 Jun 08

Thanks, I’ll be subscribing tonight after work.

Jim 04 Jun 08

Is the Rails Podcast video feed subscribable to be viewed on my ipod touch?

Massimo Sgrelli 05 Jun 08

@ Jim – we haven’t planned any podcast video feeds at this moment, but we’ll look into creating a webpage that will be compatible to view on iphone’s

Massimo Sgrelli 05 Jun 08

Ryan, may I have the slides you showed us at the RailsConf? Thanks

Comments are closed