The coolest thing about Ruby is that even though it’s a dynamic and reflective programming language it’s very easy to learn. More and more programmers around the world are interested in learning this new tool for making cool things. We’ve selected 3 interesting websites to help people (kids or adults) to know a little bit more of Ruby’s world.

Kids Ruby (to kids)

http://kidsruby.com: Kids Ruby is especially focused on kids, with a very easy interface which allows you to see the code, run it, and at the same time see what it outputs. Kids Ruby is also attractive for his Turtle graphics that allows you to draw pictures and have fun by mixing and trying colors. Kids Ruby includes a lot of useful resources and you don’t even need an internet connection to work. Developers also created a complete KidsRuby operating system based on Ubuntu Linux that makes program in Ruby a lot easier for kids.

Rails for zombies

http://railsforzombies.org/: Rails for Zombies offers an open-source web framework with all the power of the Ruby language and with no additional configuration needed. In this site you can see tutorial videos which allow you to learn more about Ruby on Rails in just five levels. After seeing each video you’ll be challenged with cool exercises to practice your new skills. So if you’re a zombie and you’re hungry for Ruby’s knowledge this is the perfect site for you.

Try Ruby

http://tryruby.org/: This website brings a very interactive Ruby tutorial; you can test new functions step by step and understand a little bit more about this language. In just 15 minutes and with a very interactive interface you can understand what Ruby is about. This site also allows you to save your progress by sign up for free at Code School.

Now that you have these very easy options to learn Ruby why don’t you try it out and maybe we’ll see you soon as a new member of Moove-IT’s team

The largest online protest in the history of Internet is taking place today, more than one hundred sites, including the popular Wikipedia, Google and WordPress confirmed their participation in this digital blackout against the new anti-piracy laws of the USA.

Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) will be voted on Jan 24^th by the Congress in attempt to pass internet censorship in the Senate. These two laws are probably the most rejected ones by Americans citizen because some of them consider that they affect the most appreciated thing on internet, freedom.

The SOPA law attempt to close any foreign site which sells or shares pirated content from the USA, including music, films, books and every product non authorized for free distribution on the internet. The PIPA law meanwhile has its focus directly on protect Intellectual Property Act, avoiding any economic threats and thefts to creativity.

Anyway, these laws have great support from big industries like National Cable & Telecommunications Association, the National Association of Theatre Owners, Viacom, Copyright Alliance and NBC Universal, which argue that their businesses are dramatically affected by online piracy.

We will have to wait until next January 24 to see if the public opinion will have a direct influence on the fate of these laws.

Wikipedia.org – Home page Jan 18^th

Google.com – Home page Jan 18^th

WordPress.com – Home page Jan 18^th

We are sponsoring one of the greatest technology events here in Uruguay. The Second RubyConf taking place within less than two weeks, the 11th and 12th November 2011, where many IT experts from all over the world get together in order to be immersed in this dynamic world and and up to date get with the latest trends of Ruby and Agile methodologies.

RubyConf Uruguay 2011

We are hungry for knowledge and refreshment, and we all want to be on the same train.

Please welcome all the new members to this awesome community. And help spreading the news, but even more important, do not miss the opportunity to meet the experts, discuss the future of RoR, and be Rail!

Our main tradition, heritage and passion: The beat of the “Uruguayan” drums.

It doesn’t matter if you listen to the drums once a month, everyday, or once a year.  When it comes to local music, there is nothing more Uruguayan than the sound produced by rhythmically striking a drum, and especially when playing Candombe, a unique way of percussion, which will make your hair stand on its end.

Team building activities can range from treasure hunts to Safari trips, though this time, we have decided to do one which people could easily identify with, and which does not require sophisticated skills, but the desire to unwind, switch off and connect. Drumming workshops come first, the bonding is just a consequence.

Last week we had our first percussion workshop. Pablo Leites, an excellent musician and percussionist, also known as “Gancho” has been our instructor.  He has also been Martin Cabrera’s (Moove-IT cofounder) best friend for a long time.

Please have a look at the following pictures…

Why percussion

Why is percussion so important to us? Being a country of immigrants, Uruguay was formed by people from all over the world. And like it always happens, music has played a tremendous positive role in bringing people together and creating stronger, more significant bonds. We connect with our basic instincts, we forget about language barriers, cultural differences, rank, and we just let ourselves feel and relax.  Just listen to a few strikes and you will feel multicolor, ageless and energized.

You may have heard of Las Llamadas (The Callings), a popular annual event during Carnival here in Uruguay, which gathers thousands of people from all over the world. The drums are the main stars, and the African music roots brought by the people once made slaves in this country (and happily freed more than 150 years ago) are now our truly genuine and local music.

I personally love this rhythm, and even though I am not a music expert I will recognize its pace wherever I go. I am not sure if it is the adrenaline than runs through your body, or the inseparable link to human nature, but percussion makes your body shake, like toddlers instinctively struggling to move their bodies to the rhythm of the music.

Team Building !!

The last Wednesday we made a workshop in the ORT University.
Pablo Ifran, Gianfranco Zas, Ariel Ludueña and I

We share the presentations to everybody

All_in_One_Agile_Development (in spanish)

Ruby_and_Rails (in spanish)

Moove-IT is now part of the Ruby on Rails Workshops and Conferences around the world.

Even when Ruby seems to be the most popular modern programming language in America, there was nowhere in Uruguay you could actually learn it. Moove-IT will give you a heads up on this exciting language and Rails framework on July 6, 2011 (please see ad below).

This will be the first in a series of workshops focusing on Ruby, RoR, Scrum and hands on training exercises.

We are so proud to have made so much progress working with this technology and methodology that we feel the need to contribute to the local Ruby community.

Join us! Be part.

We are doing a good job, that’s right, but Michael Staton and Howard Kao from Inigral did not exactly decide to move to Uruguay and work from here now on, they just paid us a one week visit, and worked with us like any other member of the Moove-iT team. The Schools project is exciting itself, but having Howard and Michael here made us feel it even closer, and the boundaries between Inigral and Moove-iT were sort of a blur, for good.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I am really positive we have made them feel at home.

We worked for a week straight, but we also had time to have fun.
No doubts about it, having visitors from around the globe is always refreshing and truly motivating…

Let me tell you why.

We conduct daily meeting with clients from different countries. Most of the times we use skype, and we are about 4 or 5 people in the same room, talking in English, though our primary language is Spanish. On the other end, there is a person whose native language is generally English, but who is normally thousands of miles away, many Fahrenheits apart and only a few hours ahead or behind us. We rarely use a camera, so we do not even know what the room he or she is in looks like.

I believe that the third dimension is definitely more important than we might think. And being in the same room with someone whose voice is extremely familiar to us, and has been part of our work lives for over an year, but whose looks, posture or gestures we used to have little or no idea about is just fantastic. We shared this sort of energy and connection you could only generate when meeting in person.

The truth is we all love to put a name to a face.

And this time we had two new faces to look at, to talk to and to laugh with. In the flesh we met Michael and Howard.

THANK YOU!

According to the Legatum Prosperity Index, Uruguay ranks first in Latin America. This index produces rankings based on the foundations of prosperity, which means that Moove-it is located in a country with factors that will produce economic growth and happy citizens over the long run.

If you have a look at the ranking in the Americas, Canada is on top of the list and Uruguay is in the third place, just after the United States.

For more information please visit:

http://www.prosperity.com/country.aspx?id=UY

You can donwload the pdf file with this information too.

We are proud to announce we have 2 new members in our team. Damian and Nicolas are part of Fondation Forge programs for teenagers. These two bright young programmers are joining our staff after working as interns in our premises.

Please welcome them!

Moove-it and Forge have been working together for 2 years. Among other things Forge provides an opportunity for teenagers to get their first job, and Moove-it supports its values and contributes to make them possible.

The FORGE FOUNDATION is a Swiss established non-profit foundation dedicated to developing and implementing youth work and life skills training programs in nations throughout Latin America.  The foundation began operations in 2006 and now has three training program centers: two in Argentina (Buenos Aires and Pilar) and one in Montevideo, Uruguay

web page of FF: www.fondationforge.org