Gamble & odds on future RoR desktop deployability & IP protection?

I'm looking at switching to RoR for development of a commercial product, but a big issue is that I currently can't use RoR for anything other than a classical hosted app.

What are the odds that within say 12 months there will be a robust way to deploy finished RoR apps to individual desktop PCs & Macs while at the same time being able to protect the Intellectual Property and sell licenses etc?

1. I am aware of Slingshot but this does not appear robust or secure. 2. I know all software protection can be cracked, but I'm talking "reasonable protection" here.

Hi Mitch,

mitch wrote:

I'm looking at switching to RoR for development of a commercial product, but a big issue is that I currently can't use RoR for anything other than a classical hosted app.

Rails is a framework for building web-based, database-driven applications in Ruby. I think what you're looking for is a framework for building desktop / thick-client applications in Ruby. That's not Rails.

What are the odds that within say 12 months there will be a robust way to deploy finished RoR apps to individual desktop PCs & Macs while at the same time being able to protect the Intellectual Property and sell licenses etc?

Pretty much zero. I don't have any experience with the desktop / thick-client frameworks for Ruby, but there are some. You probably want to ask on the ruby-talk list (ruby-talk@ruby-lang.org). If you're willing to run your app in a JVM, JRuby may give you the 'security' you're looking for.

HTH, Bill