The better question is why does RoR have references? The answer being that it is lead by a BDFL who is a showman and marketer. That is instilled into the RoR co

The better question is why does RoR have references? The answer being that it is lead by a BDFL who is a showman and marketer. That is instilled into the RoR community, and why its homepage is a marketing site. Django has always be slightly more understated in how it presents itself, and that also comes through it is community. Neither approach is better than the other, they are just different.