Lightning talk: Ideas for growing our Ruby community

by Lucian Ghindă

Overview

In Lucian Ghindă's lightning talk at the Helvetic Ruby 2023 conference, he presents ideas for increasing participation in the Ruby community. His focus is on how content creation and outreach strategies can attract newcomers to Ruby, ultimately fostering a larger and more diverse community.

Key Points:

Why Choose Ruby:
- It is important to articulate why Ruby is a valuable technology, especially for those outside the community. The subjective nature of 'beauty' in programming languages necessitates clear communication about Ruby's unique advantages.
- Highlighting Ruby's opportunities and future prospects can entice newcomers who may prioritize potential over mere technical superiority.
Content Creation:
- Encouraging community members to write articles or blogs is crucial for maintaining a fresh flow of Ruby-related content, reflective of the language's evolving nature.
- Fresh content helps combat obsolescence brought on by social media, ensuring ongoing relevance for learners.
- More diverse content caters to various learning styles, allowing a range of resources to be available for different audiences.
- Writing also supports personal growth, enhancing understanding of Ruby and contributing to expertise development.
Starting Small:
- Aspiring writers should not feel intimidated; Lucian suggests starting with brief articles instead of exhaustive guides. A simple outline that includes context, problems, solutions, and personal experiences can serve as a solid foundation.
- For instance, addressing common development tasks like user authentication through personal narrative can make an article relatable and useful.
Engaging with Younger Generations:
- Lucian stresses the importance of reaching out to the younger demographic, who will be integral to the workforce in the coming years. Finding ways to engage students in universities and younger audiences is essential.
- Utilizing platforms where younger audiences congregate, such as TikTok, can enhance outreach efforts and foster interest in Ruby.

Conclusion:

Lucian Ghindă's talk emphasizes the necessity of active participation in content creation and outreach to grow the Ruby community. By articulating Ruby's unique qualities, providing fresh and diverse content, and reaching out to younger audiences, existing members can contribute significantly to the expansion of Ruby’s appeal. Lucian invites individuals who start blogging to connect with him for potential feature in his newsletter, promoting a collaborative effort towards strengthening the community.

00:00:05.160 Hello, everyone. My name is Lucian Ghindă. You can find me on all social media. I'm curating a newsletter called SH Ruby, and you can reach me at [email protected]. Today, I want to share some ideas about how we can bring more people into our Ruby community.

00:00:12.519 I will discuss what we can share online to attract people interested in learning Ruby. This includes the types of articles we can write, project ideas, developer experiences, starter kits, and more. The goal of my talk is to spark a conversation and invite everyone to contribute their thoughts as well.

00:00:30.320 First, let's talk about why we chose Ruby. While it may seem obvious to those already involved in the Ruby community, we often don’t explain this to those outside. We may say that Ruby is beautiful, but beauty is subjective. If we want to grow our community, we should articulate why we chose Ruby and what makes it special for us. By doing so, we can potentially inspire others to join.

00:01:03.920 From my observations, people often select technologies not solely on technical superiority but rather on the promise these technologies offer for the future. This is why it's crucial to discuss what Ruby brings to the table: the opportunities and promises it presents. If we can express this clearly, we might be able to attract more people.

00:01:50.439 The second idea is simpler: I invite you to start a blog or contribute an article to someone else's blog. You might wonder why we need more content. First, we need to keep Ruby-related content fresh. Although there is a wealth of information available, the Ruby ecosystem is constantly evolving, and we need new perspectives on how to create models, controllers, and tackle object-oriented programming.

00:02:24.360 Moreover, much content today is influenced by social media, leading to a rapid obsolescence of older articles. If you write something today, it might be forgotten by next month. Keeping content fresh helps ensure that people can find relevant and timely information. Additionally, by writing about your experiences, you might assist someone facing similar challenges, which is a rewarding feeling.

00:03:04.920 Having more content encourages diversity in the way Ruby is expressed and learned. People have different learning styles, and increased content availability allows individuals to find resources that resonate with them. Lastly, write for your own growth. Expressing your thoughts in writing enhances your understanding and knowledge, which is essential for becoming an expert.

00:03:52.040 If you're unsure where to start, don't feel pressured to write a comprehensive guide or a book. Begin with a short article, just like a social media post. Focus on sharing your everyday experiences with Ruby. Here’s a simple format to consider: briefly outline the context, define the problem, explore potential solutions, and then describe your chosen solution. For example, if you were implementing user authentication, discuss the context and challenges you faced, the gems you explored, and the decision you made.

00:04:41.880 The last point I'd like to make is to engage with the younger generation by going to where they are. The younger audience—those in universities or even younger—will make up a significant portion of the workforce in the coming years. It's important to attract them to Ruby, as the languages they learn will influence the projects they undertake. This means we should consider utilizing platforms where they spend their time, possibly even social media channels like TikTok.

00:05:00.600 Before I conclude, I urge you to start a blog. I know developers often feel overwhelmed, but starting small is key. If you do decide to start a blog, please let me know. I would love to feature your work in my newsletter. Thank you very much for your time!