Really? https://github.com/rails/rails/compare/9333ca7…23aa7da
The history of Rails has always been one of choosing a default, and being opinionated about it. While I’d prefer haml before coffeescript, I think it’s a perfectly reasonable choice for Rails to make.
I don’t see how putting it in the Gemfile is a win.
Anyone who wants coffeescript is perfectly capable of adding it themselves along with all the other gems they usually add to their projects. If they’re like me they just have a Gemfile they drop into any new project (or if they’re fancy then they’re using their own app template). So, no one can convince me that the experienced developer is the use-case for this choice.
Any newbie will more than likely only know HTML, CSS and JS so will stick with editing ERB, CSS and JS files. They’ll just carry a useless coffee-script along with their app. So, doesn’t meet any need there either.
So, I’m struggling to see the purpose of doing this at all. Is it as simple as giving coffeescript (and SASS) an official Rails stamp of approval?
Do those of us who help total newbies in #ror and other forums a favor and please just leave it commented out.
I prefer LESS over SASS, but I see SASS has improved since the last time I used it and taken some much needed pointers from LESS. I didn't look into the SASS improvements enough to know if I'd choose it over LESS yet.
coffeescript is interesting and if it's the default now, it'll finally give me an excuse to use it in practice instead of viewing it as fringe tech as I do now.
These rails tech changes are fun to watch. I remember the move to git
from svn... everybody had an opinion on that too. 
I really don't see what the fuss is about. If you don't like coffee- script then just write JavaScript. Right?
Sorry if my question is silly, but do I have the option to just purge coffescript if i do not want to use it?
Yes you will. The only thing this change is talking about is the initial Gemfile that’s generated for you in a new app.