Latest news with #DavidHeinemeierHansson
Technical.ly
5 days ago
- Business
- Technical.ly
Ruby Central hosted the final RailsConf in Philly. What's next for the dev support org?
This is a guest post by Shan Cureton, executive director of Ruby Central. Philadelphia's long-standing strength in healthcare, education and technology has created a foundation for a tech community that continues to push the boundaries of innovation and open source. That's why, when Ruby Central hosted its final RailsConf last month, it happened right here in Philadelphia. The decision to host RailsConf's final chapter in Philadelphia was a deliberate one. The city's developer community has grown deep roots in open source and the presence of organizations like (the event's official media sponsor) helped make the case. The energy at RailsConf 2025 reflected that. Longtime community members reunited, early-career developers found their footing through Ruby Central's Scholars and Guides program and hallway conversations buzzed with gratitude and curiosity about what's next. It marked the end of RailsConf as a standalone event and the start of a new era for Ruby Central. Starting in 2026, its annual RubyConf event will become the singular in-person hub for the global Ruby community. That shift is part of a broader strategy to refocus resources where they're most needed: infrastructure, regional events and open source sustainability. While RailsConf is ending, Rails itself isn't fading into the background. Ruby Central is actively exploring ways to feature Rails-related content at future RubyConfs, though no decisions have been made about a dedicated track. Many of the contributors who helped shape the framework's legacy remain deeply engaged in the community. Now, while the structure may be changing, this pivot will have an impact on both Philly and the larger tech community. The shift allows Ruby Central to channel more resources into sustaining core open source tools, expand support for local and regional events and keep Rails content alive. New initiatives like the RubyGems Podcast will also strengthen year-round engagement, ensuring developers remain connected beyond the conference stage. A fitting Philly send-off For nearly two decades, RailsConf has been the flagship gathering for the Ruby community. The 2025 edition, held at the Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown, was both a celebration and a send-off. Philadelphia was the right place for RailsConf's final act, not just because of its hospitality and tech credentials, but because it reflects where open source is headed: a blend of legacy and possibility, deeply rooted but always growing. The lineup reflected the past and future of Rails. The creator of the framework, David Heinemeier Hansson, sat down for a candid fireside chat with Elise Shaffer. Shopify's Aaron Patterson (also known as Tenderlove), a community mainstay, closed the conference with a keynote that struck the right mix of humor, heart and technical insight. Ruby Central also used the occasion to launch The RubyGems Podcast, hosted by Open Source Director Marty Haught. The show is one of several new tools aimed at keeping developers connected between conferences. Developer orgs come together to make the most impact Ruby Central's evolution has been building for a while. After merging with Ruby Together in 2022, the nonprofit took over stewardship of RubyGems and Bundler—critical tools used billions of times by developers worldwide. In 2023, the organization introduced formal governance through its Open Source Software Committee. And just ahead of RailsConf, it launched a new fiscal sponsorship program to support maintainers and projects like the Hanami framework. The idea behind these years of changes is simple but impactful: Let Ruby Central handle the administrative side of fundraising — donations, accounting, compliance — so that maintainers can stay focused on code and community. More projects are expected to join in the coming months. By focusing on a single flagship conference, Ruby Central can deliver deeper programming and expand access year-round through live streams, scholarships, community partnerships and regional event support. This approach aligns with the organization's mission to foster inclusivity and long-term sustainability, with initiatives like GitHub's global event grants program already helping make it possible. Ruby Central's next chapter is about focus: continuing to support the developers, maintainers and contributors who power much of the internet itself.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ruby on Rails creator David Heinemeier Hansson says he looks for 2 key things when hiring
Tech entrepreneur David Heinemeier Hansson said he looks for two key things when hiring programmers. Hansson, the creator of Ruby on Rails, says a good cover letter is crucial for applicants. If you can't write a good cover letter, "you're out," he told podcaster Lex Fridman. A cover letter might not be your top priority if you're preparing an application for a job in tech — but perhaps it should be. That's especially true if your hiring manager happens to be David Heinemeier Hansson, the creator of Ruby on Rails, a well-known framework for building web applications, and the CTO at software firm 37signals. In a lengthy six-hour interview with podcaster Lex Fridman published Saturday, the exec shared the two key things he looks for when hiring new computer programmers. "Up until this point, the main pivot point for getting hired was not your résumé, was not the schooling you've had, it was not your grades, it was not your pedigree," Hansson, who is also known as DHH, said, adding that AI could now change things. It was about how well you do two things: your cover letter and programming, he continued. "I can only work with people remotely if they're good writers," he told Fridman. "If you can't pen a proper cover letter and can't bother to put in the effort to write it specifically for us, you're out." He also said you had to be able to program well. "To the degree that I can look at your code and go like, 'Yeah, I want to work with that person.' Not only do I want to work with that person, I want to work on that person's code when I have to see it again in five years to fix some damn bug." Hansson said that applicants would have to show their skills through a programming test that "simulates the way we work for real." "I've been surprised time and again where I thought for sure this candidate is a shoo-in, they sound just right, the CV is just right, and then you see the code getting turned in and I'm like, 'No way. No way are we hiring this person,'" he said. "The capacity to evaluate work product is a superpower when it comes to hiring." Writing cover letters has long been a necessary evil for job candidates. Often regarded as time-consuming and repetitive, many are also put off by rumors that hiring managers simply don't read them. But even for jobs that don't specifically ask for one, studies suggest cover letters are still an important part of the application process. In 2023, a Resume Genius survey of 625 hiring managers across the US found that 83% said they frequently or always read cover letters. And 73% of managers at companies that did not require cover letters also said they frequently read them. For applicants to the tech industry, the key to a successful cover letter is conveying experience with relevant technology and providing a snapshot of what you'd bring to the specific company, Thomas Vick, a senior regional director at the talent firm Robert Half, previously told Business Insider. "What return on investment have you created for an organization?" Vick said. "What have you done in your career that has helped save a company time, energy, and money?" Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
13-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Ruby on Rails creator David Heinemeier Hansson says he looks for 2 key things when hiring
A cover letter might not be your top priority if you're preparing an application for a job in tech — but perhaps it should be. That's especially true if your hiring manager happens to be David Heinemeier Hansson, the creator of Ruby on Rails, a well-known framework for building web applications, and the CTO at software firm 37signals. In a lengthy six-hour interview with podcaster Lex Fridman published Saturday, the exec shared the two key things he looks for when hiring new computer programmers. "Up until this point, the main pivot point for getting hired was not your résumé, was not the schooling you've had, it was not your grades, it was not your pedigree," Hansson, who is also known as DHH, said, adding that AI could now change things. It was about how well you do two things: your cover letter and programming, he continued. "I can only work with people remotely if they're good writers," he told Fridman. "If you can't pen a proper cover letter and can't bother to put in the effort to write it specifically for us, you're out." He also said you had to be able to program well. "To the degree that I can look at your code and go like, 'Yeah, I want to work with that person.' Not only do I want to work with that person, I want to work on that person's code when I have to see it again in five years to fix some damn bug." Hansson said that applicants would have to show their skills through a programming test that "simulates the way we work for real." "I've been surprised time and again where I thought for sure this candidate is a shoo-in, they sound just right, the CV is just right, and then you see the code getting turned in and I'm like, 'No way. No way are we hiring this person,'" he said. "The capacity to evaluate work product is a superpower when it comes to hiring." Writing cover letters has long been a necessary evil for job candidates. Often regarded as time-consuming and repetitive, many are also put off by rumors that hiring managers simply don't read them. But even for jobs that don't specifically ask for one, studies suggest cover letters are still an important part of the application process. In 2023, a Resume Genius survey of 625 hiring managers across the US found that 83% said they frequently or always read cover letters. And 73% of managers at companies that did not require cover letters also said they frequently read them. For applicants to the tech industry, the key to a successful cover letter is conveying experience with relevant technology and providing a snapshot of what you'd bring to the specific company, Thomas Vick, a senior regional director at the talent firm Robert Half, previously told Business Insider. "What return on investment have you created for an organization?" Vick said. "What have you done in your career that has helped save a company time, energy, and money?"
