I’ve known the "Rails Envy" guys for a few years now, even before they were the "Rails Envy" guys. I think Gregg and I were some of the first Rails guys to connect here in the Orlando area, so it’s been a blast watching their quirky creative genius take shape and evolve into a new passion for them. I was recently given the opportunity to review their latest screencast on Rails 2.2. If you’re looking to get up-to-date on all the new features check it out. It’s well worth the price.
So, here’s my official review…
I found the Rails 2.2 EnvyCast to be very enjoyable and a great way to get up to speed on the latest features of the framework I love. The presentation style was both educational and entertaining, which is something that sets EnvyCasts apart from the other screencasts. I really like the way they have integrated the live video into the program, keeping my attention and preventing me from slipping into a code-coma.
One note of editing criticism is that I felt the sound track was a little too loud in parts. It might just be my sub-woofer, or the fact that I was an audio post-production engineer in a past life, but at times the music detracted from the dialog. Other than that, I’d say this format and the content really works. I’d be interested to see how the guys write and edit a more in-depth technical screencast that requires a lot more code. But I think between the highlighted code and the support materials, viewers will have everything they need to apply the information being taught.
Go checkout EnvyCasts and support their efforts.