# Google Gears - Offline Web Apps **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [May 31, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/google-gears-offline-web-apps/105555 "2007-05-31T03:00:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/artpop)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/google-gears-offline-web-apps/105555/1 "2007-05-31T03:00:55Z")
[http://gears.google.com/](http://gears.google.com/) A cross platform IE and Firefox plugin that includes a local server, a database (sqlite) and a synchroniser. Does it have a future with Rails do you think? ---
**Author:** ![artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/artpop)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 9:42am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/google-gears-offline-web-apps/105555/2 "2007-05-31T09:42:28Z")
YES! we just need a Ruby finding of google gears as we have for prototype in rails. Who will need Joyents Slingshot. Everything is here available in browser offline and with syncing capabilities. Soon we will be using Basecamp offline 🙂 Thanks Google 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/artpop)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 10:51am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/google-gears-offline-web-apps/105555/3 "2007-05-31T10:51:38Z")
Slingshot includes your Rails application, Google Gears doesn’t, so there’s quite an intrinsic difference. Google Gears might hold up for the Google apps (which rely mostly on clientside code, except for the data itself), but for a web app with lots of serverside logic it’s probably not going to be sufficient. On 31 May 2007, at 09:42, Shan wrote: > > [http://gears.google.com/](http://gears.google.com/) > > > > A cross platform IE and Firefox plugin that includes a local > > server, a > > database (sqlite) and a synchroniser. Does it have a future with > > Rails > > do you think? Best regards Peter De Berdt ---
**Author:** ![artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/artpop)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 10:51am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/google-gears-offline-web-apps/105555/4 "2007-05-31T10:51:39Z")
Funny, I’ve been investigating Slingshot all day. I was interested in the Gears annoucement as well, but all that garbage with the data layer looks like a maaaajor pain in the ass. Have you all read this? > **[Google for Developers - Software Development Guides, Tools & More](https://developers.google.com/?csw=1)** > > Explore Google's developer tools for AI, Cloud, app, web, and software development to help you build smarter and ship faster. …I have a headache. On 5/31/07, Shan [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > On May 31, 6:00 am, Hugh E. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > [http://gears.google.com/](http://gears.google.com/) > > > > A cross platform IE and Firefox plugin that includes a local server, a > > database (sqlite) and a synchroniser. Does it have a future with Rails > > do you think? > > > ## – ## seth at subimage interactive ## [http://www.subimage.com](http://www.subimage.com) [http://sublog.subimage.com](http://sublog.subimage.com) > **[Freelance Time Tracking Software — Online Invoice Software](https://cashboardapp.com/)** > > Freelance time tracking software, online invoice software & project management. > Used by thousands worldwide since 2007. FREE trial. [http://dev.subimage.com/projects/substruct](http://dev.subimage.com/projects/substruct) ---
**Author:** ![artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/artpop)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 10:56am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/google-gears-offline-web-apps/105555/5 "2007-05-31T10:56:39Z")
Exxxxxactly. But is anyone even using Slingshot in production, or at all? It looks half-baked at the moment. I’m investigating it’s use for inclusion in some of our offerings. On 5/31/07, Peter De Berdt [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Thanks Google 🙂 ## – ## seth at subimage interactive ## [http://sublog.subimage.com](http://sublog.subimage.com) ## Cashboard - Estimates, invoices, and time tracking software - for free! [http://www.getcashboard.com](http://www.getcashboard.com) Substruct - Open source RoR e-commerce software. [http://dev.subimage.com/projects/substruct](http://dev.subimage.com/projects/substruct) ---
**Author:** ![artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/artpop)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 3:06am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/google-gears-offline-web-apps/105555/6 "2007-06-10T03:06:15Z")
what about the concept of including Gears support within the prototype layer? Would this be the ultimate way to get support for Rails? ---
**Author:** ![artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/artpop)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 7:42pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/google-gears-offline-web-apps/105555/7 "2007-06-26T19:42:09Z")
This sort of thing is going to be very very useful. If I remember correctly, Joyent ([www.joyent.com](http://www.joyent.com))has already developed something like this specific for Rails apps. No affiliation - I just remember spotting it in passing and thinking that would be cool on an iPhone… Cheers, Erik Le 31 mai 07 à 03:00, Hugh E. a écrit : ---
**Author:** ![artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/artpop)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 1:22am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/google-gears-offline-web-apps/105555/8 "2007-06-01T01:22:15Z")
The Google Gears concept feels like a way to get “client/server” like functionality by distributing data and/or logic between the client and server. Because you can’t have a reliable network connection (as in a pure C/S app.), you do the next best thing which is to copy the business/data layers and then have good sync. technology. Does that make sense? What I don’t understand is: 1. Is this just a scheme for distributing the data and they’re not addressing how to handle the business logic? 2. If the logic distribution is somehow implied, then does this mean that you have one or two copies of the “data layer”/“smart business logic”/whatever you want to call it? Like is it Javascript on the server and then you download/sync. it to get equivalent offline functionality? I need to take a look at the sample apps. and see what they’ve done. Wes ---
**Author:** ![artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@artpop](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/artpop)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 4:50am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/google-gears-offline-web-apps/105555/9 "2007-07-03T04:50:47Z")
On May 31, 4:22 pm, Wes G. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: […] > 1. If the logic distribution is somehow implied, then does this mean > that you have one or two copies of the “data layer”/“smart business > logic”/whatever you want to call it? Like is it Javascript on the > server and then you download/sync. it to get equivalent offline > functionality? > […] If you’re using google gears, why have any server side business logic? Seems advantageous to let the client deal with that. -Thufir