My software development generally consists of:
C++ : high-performance code -- rendering, physics, complex
computations,
system API calls (e.g. Direct3D)
lua : in-application scripting
ruby : outside-application scripting -- building, generating C++ code,
generating lua code, running tests, running benchmarks,
everything else
The only reasons for using lua are sheer technical ones: effortless
portability (100% ANSI C -- especially needed for embedded platforms),
thread-safety, and speed.
What is absolutely needed in the game software industry is a better
lua. My preference would be an ANSI C version of ruby. Many things
would become easier if I could replace lua with ruby --- I would get
some synergy between my in-application code and outside-application
code, for example. (I could of course use lua instead of ruby, but
that turns out to be more inefficient; besides, lua is generally
frustrating compared to ruby.)
So, what is standing in the way of an ANSI-C ruby? How much of ruby
or ruby2 would need to be redesigned or changed in order to get a
streamlined, minimal ANSI-C-only version?