Enabling Ruby users to continue receiving value from existing Ruby apps while allowing the Ruby core team to focus on new releases is good for the Ruby community I last wrote about Engine Yard back when it was working to create a language reference for Ruby. It’s great to see that Engine Yard remains committed to the Ruby community. Last week Engine Yard and the Ruby core team announced that it has taken over maintenance for the 1.8.6 branch of Ruby.Ruby 1.8.6 was released in 2007 and the new 1.9 branch was released earlier this year. According to the Ruby core team, it has become increasingly difficult to maintain the 1.8 branch, which most Ruby users are on, and introduce new features into the 1.9 branch. Engine Yard stepped forward to lighten the load on the Ruby core developers since 1.8.6 users want to see it supported well beyond the time frame that the Ruby core team had originally planned.[ Engine Yard has taken over maintenance responsibilities for the Ruby 1.8.6 line and earlier this year introduced a platform to extend SOA to the cloud. ] This is a win-win for Engine Yard and the Ruby community. Rapid bug fixes for the widely used (among Ruby users) Ruby 1.8.6 release ensures current Ruby users can continue to run those apps without having to migrate. New features faster into the 1.9 relapse stream means it’ll be easier for the Ruby community to attract new developers to build new applications with Ruby. This in turn is goodness for Engine Yard’s hosting offerings for Ruby applications.I often forget how much I dread migrating my application to newer, supported, runtimes. I only do it when I absolutely have to. I’m certain that I’m not alone. Kudos to Engine Yard for recognizing this and helping Ruby users.Follow me on Twitter at: SavioRodrigues p.s.: I should state: “The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent IBM’s positions, strategies, or opinions.” Technology Industry