Daily Note - January 13, 2022

🌡 Weather

Feels Like: 37.4°F

Business

• Since I’m planning on distributing my Ruby on Mac script via a private GitHub repo, I need a way to automate inviting customers to the repo.

• I looked up the GitHub API documentation, and searched for collaborator in Octokit.rb, and found the method I was looking for: add_collaborator

• I wrote a quick Ruby script, which includes a Gemfile inline, and when I tried to run it, I got this error:

Your user account isn't allowed to install to the system RubyGems.
You can cancel this installation and run:

  bundle install --path vendor/bundle

to install the gems into ./vendor/bundle/, or you can enter your password
and install the bundled gems to RubyGems using sudo.

• I don’t understand why sudo is even mentioned. I think it’s out of frustration due to how hard it is to set up a proper Ruby development environment, and so gem maintainers go for the easy way out. Luckily for them, I created the easiest way to install Ruby on a Mac, and they can start point people there instead.

• That’s because I hadn’t specified a Ruby version yet. I should write a guide about that.

• I created a new test account on GitHub, and verified that my script invited me to join the private repo.

• Then I needed to figure out a way to deploy this script so that it runs automatically after someone buys Ruby on Mac. I wanted to keep this as simple as possible, so I looked at Zapier, but their GitHub integration doesn’t support adding collaborators.

• Next I looked into Netlify functions, but they don’t support Ruby, but apparently Vercel does. I added a To Do to look into that.

• I rewrote the Ruby installation guide to better communicate the value of the script. It’s not just for a single use. The script is meant to be run regularly to keep your system up to date, saving you time not only in the initial setup of your computer, but going forward.

• I also added a Private community (either Discord or Slack) as a bonus for the $37 option. See the January 12th daily note for more details.

• Continued posting updates about my progress in this Twitter thread.

• Worked on a Tally form to learn more about script users

  • Which gem are they trying to install?
  • How long have they been coding?
  • Do they have a GitHub account?

To Do Tomorrow

• Add link to Tally form in the ruby guide in Step 3 to ask if they used the script, and if not, why not, what they’re trying to install, do they have GitHub account. Create a separate form for this.

• After laptop script runs successfully, make it open a page with another form that captures: did the script work the first time? if not, how much time did they spend fixing errors? Intel or M1? what are they installing? do they have a GitHub account? how long have they been coding?

• Try Vercel for Tally webhook -> Ruby script that adds collaborators

• See how much friction there is for people to clone the private repo, or run the command. Will certainly need authentication, so will probably have to install GH CLI in the basic option.

• Create rubyonmac/basic that does the ruby only portion. Find a better name.