[MacRuby-devel] HotCocoa Part I

[Richard Kilmer]

All,

As the main author of HotCocoa let me chime in on what I see its main  
purpose is.

In a nutshell here is my 5 second primary definition:

"HotCocoa is an idiomatic Ruby API that simplifies the configuration  
and wiring together of complex ObjC/Cocoa classes."

I realize this will not be all things to all people, and that some may  
not see the much value in this. I do, and I think that HotCocoa should  
NOT try and be all things to all people.  Let me even get more  
specific.  I don't think that HotCocoa should strive to contain  
simplifications for all frameworks in Cocoa.

If core audio needs to be simplified though a wonderful Ruby API then  
it should be done with a wonderful Ruby API, but that is not HotCocoa,  
its a core audio MacRuby library.  Something that uses HotCocoa could  
also use that wonderfully simplified core audio library.  To try and  
say every simplified use of ObjC frameworks is included in HotCocoa  
creates a truly unwieldy beast.

In ObjC/Cocoa here are the common patterns I see that can be  
simplified with HotCocoa:

* Instance configuration
* Delegation
* KVO
* Object wiring/containment/etc
* Data sources
* App building

I will follow up with an email that explains these in more detail and  
provides examples.

Best,

Rich