Best ROR Sites

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Nearly every Ruby on Rails list contains the 4 mainstay pieces of software developed by the company that just happened to start the Ruby on Rails craze. We figured we'd get it out of the way and list them first.

• Basecamp - The definitive solution for managing projects and coordinating staff and client schedules.
• Backpack - A service allowing you to organize files, dates, notes, to-do lists and more.
• Campfire - Chatroom software with image and file sharing. Useful for project collaboration.
• Highrise - The ultimate rolodex. Manage your contacts and archive conversations.

Business

These apps are perhaps the primary reason Ruby on Rails was developed: to maximize your business profitability.

• Competitious - Monitor your competition with this ingenious tool. Track RSS feeds, public documents, web traffic levels and exchange information internally on various competitors.
• Isabont - Keep track of the positions applied for, resumes you've sent out and contacts you've established while job hunting. A must use tool for all post college graduates and serious career searches.
• Rota Board - Fantastic tool for organizing your employees schedules. Displays data in an easy to read format (no more excuses.)
• Blinksale - An elegant invoice service.
• Dimewise - The definitive tool for tracking your expenses and optimizing your spending.
• Lighthouse - Complete bug / issue tracking software.
• Unfuddle - A project management solution similar to Basecamp.
• Planix - Used to estimate time frames, resources and staffing issues prior to beginning a project. Great tool for figuring out exactly what you need to get the job done.
• Assembla - Excellent resource for managing your staff. Integrates with Trac/SVN allowing developers to stay updated with project changes.
• Harvest - Dynamic time tracking software. Allows you to stay in tune with how much time is being spent on what.

Travel

If you're looking to take a trip, make the most of it by using the following RoR websites. You'd be surprised how much money, time, and stress a few well drawn maps and well thought out itineraries can save you.

• TripTie - A social network where travelers share itineraries with each other in order to plan more adventurous (and cheaper) trips.
• Wayfairing - A fantastic Google Maps solution for creating maps to describe unique locations including famous monuments, traffic hazards, restaurants, etc. Uses a social network approach to distribute maps allowing users to comment, tag and track maps.
• Flagr - Tag popular destinations on Google Maps with photos, descriptions, and videos for other users to see.
• CommunityWalk - Combines Google Maps with an easy to use interactive wizard to create custom maps including photos and descriptions.
• Gusto! - A complete travel website equipped tools to book hotels, flights and rental cars. Also hosts a social network of travelers posting photos, blogs and opinions on various destinations.

Local

These Ruby on Rails websites offer information on your local area. Some even maintain social networks with opinions from gurus residing in your neighborhood.

• Insiderpages - An extensive database of reviews on local businesses. Includes maps, photos, lists of nearby and related businesses and custom user reviews.
• Highnote - Search tool to find concerts for every genre of music imaginable. Also maintains a list of shows recommended by the editor.
• TutorLinker Find tutors on virtually every subject imaginable in your area. Uses Google Maps, custom icons and tutor profiles to help you find the tutor right for you.
• Rentometer - Useful tool to asses the cost of your rent compared to other homes and apartment in your area.
• Zvents - Maintains a user driven database of events ranging from concerts to ice cream socials in local areas.
• Menuism - Find information on local restaurants and dishes in your area. Features a social network of reviews from local cuisine critics like you.
• Forecast Advisor - Obtain forecasts for your area from all of the industry leading weather websites.

Multimedia

These websites are excellent sources for your daily dose of internet media. From funny videos to streaming audio they've got you covered.

• Vodpod - Bookmarking website where users save and share their favorite internet videos.
• PodOmatic - Maintains an extensive podcast database and social network of podcast subscribers. Also offers a tool for creating and distributing podcasts.
• Odeo - Excellent resource for finding internet radio stations, MP3s, podcasts and virtually every form of internet audio.

Social Networks

Social networks are the "in" thing on the internet right now. Here are a few of our favorites developed with Ruby on Rails.

• Twitter - A very large myspace style community where users tell the world what they are doing.
• FunAdvice - Ask questions on every imaginable subject to a vast network of complete strangers and receive humorous, compelling and occasionally outrageous (dare we say nasty) responses in real time.
• BrainReactions - Pose an idea or question and receive feedback from others. Also maintains private brain storming rooms for users wishing to share ideas with colleagues.
• 43 Things - Share your life goals and meet other people with common interests.
• 43 People - Find people that share your interests, icons, and fascinations with others.

Web Developers

What would an article on Ruby on Rails be without a section just for developers? We've found a few tools geared toward maximizing your websites efficiency.

• Jiploo - Monitors websites for performance, downtime and network problems. Also includes several tools to test out cookies and submission forms.
• Crazy Egg - Fantastic tool for tracking which portions of your website users are clicking / viewing. Ideal for developers wishing to optimize revenue generating websites.
• Shopify - Easy to use tool that builds complete websites allowing you to sell products. Recommended for users looking for quick ecommerce portals rather than developing custom shopping carts.
• Big Cartel - Offers a service similar to Shopify where users develop custom stores to sell merchandise.
• Sidewalk - Creates and manages custom HTML forms. Excellent tools for beginning developers.
• Doodlekit - A tool used to build template based websites. Includes options for blogs, forums, photo albums, content management system and more.
• Feed Digest - Build, combine and customize various RSS feeds into one feed for your website. Useful for displaying syndicated content from various sources.

Miscellaneous

This article wouldn't be complete without the following websites and tools. In fact, many of our favorite RoR websites are listed in this section.

• Sizeeasy - Unsure of how big an item on the internet you're interested in really is? If you have the dimensions, we recommended using this site to compare it in 3D to various everyday objects.
• Inkling Markets - Awesome tool simulating public markets for various hot topics ranging from who will win the next presidency to which corporations will merge next.
• Backchannelmedia - Maintains statistics on the weeks television programming including most popular genres, actors, titles and more.
• Swivel - An extremely versatile graphing tool that allows a social network of users to plot information on virtually everything.
• Stikkit - Organizes your notes and contacts into an easily traversable database. The ultimate post-it note service.
• CalendarHub - An excellent dynamic calendar.
• Num Sum - Develop spreadsheets online and share them over a social network. Useful for groups maintaining data on common interests; ex: football statistics.
• Chartpart - An easy to use tool for generating detailed charts on the go.
• DropBoks - Simple, secure method to store and transfer files online. A basic virtual drive of sorts.
• BrainCast - Free service that allows you to call up a number and have personal memos recorded and stored in an organized database. Excellent tool for taking notes on the go.
• Oh, don't forget Have SMS messages sent to your telephone at any date you request. Useful for personal reminders.
• Loop Note - Uses the social network approach to distribute information across various platforms at once including mobile phones, instant messengers, email and RSS feeds.
• Event Wax - An extremely complete tool used to organize events and maintain RSVP lists.
• MyPunchbowl - A wide array of tools for planning parties including invitations, supplies, maps, photos, descriptions and more.
• YubNub - Uses a command line style interface to search thousands of popular websites. Be sure to start off with the "ls" command to see all the different websites you can search.