# Ruby before Ruby?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-before-ruby/93452>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [April 3, 2006, 4:32pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-before-ruby/93452 "2006-04-03T16:32:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![taq](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@taq](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/taq)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 4:32pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-before-ruby/93452/1 "2006-04-03T16:32:48Z")

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Hi there.

I was searching some stuff about Ruby and found this:

[http://www.cooper.com/alan/father\_of\_vb.html](http://www.cooper.com/alan/father_of_vb.html)

There was a Ruby before “our” Ruby, and it’s known as Visual Basic  
today! Jesus!  
Something that worried me was these words:

“Because Microsoft owned exclusive rights to Ruby, they could do with it  
as they  
pleased.”

Argh! Is the actual “Ruby” name ok, regarding the mark stuff?

Some more links about that:

[http://www.forestmoon.com/BIRTHofVB/BIRTHofVB.html](http://www.forestmoon.com/BIRTHofVB/BIRTHofVB.html)  
[http://www.webword.com/interviews/cooper.html](http://www.webword.com/interviews/cooper.html)

> **[Finish Your Week with .NET Rocks!](https://www.codemag.com/article/0405091)**
>
> This is the first in a series of what I hope will be one of your favorite columns for years to come! I am the host of a talk show on the Internet called...

I saw some messages on the list about that on 2001:

[http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/9971](http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/9971)

but as Microsoft is buying patents like crazy since then, I’m wondering  
if there  
could be some danger to the Ruby language nowadays. Seems that there is  
nothing  
about this on the USA trademark office, but … btw, it only works with  
IE. :-p

Best regards,

* * *

Eustáquio “TaQ” Rangel

> **[Home - Beings](https://beings.com)**
>
> Create and share live video straight from your browser. Get creative and make marketing videos like a pro – no experience required.

“Computing is not about computers any more. It is about living.”  
N. Negroponte  
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**Author:** ![taq](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@taq](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/taq)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-before-ruby/93452/2 "2006-04-04T16:06:32Z")

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On 2006-04-03 07:31:04 -0700, “Eustaquio Rangel de Oliveira Jr.”  
[removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) said:

> There was a Ruby before “our” Ruby, and it’s known as Visual Basic  
> today! Jesus!

There’s also a Ruby used for (IIRC) ASIC design. I stumbled upon it  
while searching for some Ruby stuff.