The CoffeeScript Compiler

The CoffeeScript compiler is written in what? CoffeeScript?

I just love this recent exchange on the #coffeescript IRC channel between CoffeeScript creator Jeremy Ashkenas and an unnamed visitor.

13:14 S: Hi, I have just a little question : In what language is written CoffeScript ? (I have see the GitHub but... I don't see a answer)
13:17 S: In src/ they have some .coffee script but CoffeeScript can be write in CoffeeScript :D
13:18 jashkenas: yes, yes it can.
13:18 jashkenas: It's written in CoffeeScript.
13:18 S: What ? I don't understand...
13:19 jashkenas: It was originally written in Ruby.
13:19 S: CoffeeScript can't be compileted by itselft ...
13:19 jashkenas: When that version of the compiler was complete enough.
13:19 jashkenas: It was ported over to CoffeeScript
13:19 S: Ok, I understand
13:20 jashkenas: Then that CoffeeScript source was passed through the Ruby compiler, producing JavaScript
13:20 jashkenas: Then that JavaScript recompiled the CoffeeScript
13:20 jashkenas: and now it recompiles itself.
13:20 S: Ok, nice :D
13:20 S: I little strange but why not :D
13:21 S: And by the way thx jashkenas for this :D I Love ! <3
13:21 jashkenas: cheers.

Meanwhile, Make a Better CoffeeScript Compiler on Kickstarter just reached its goal of $12,000, making it possible for heavyweight committer Michael Ficarra to devote four months of full-time work to the project.

If you haven't noticed, we appear to be entering a new era of fan-supported open-source software (OSS) development projects. The first such project to catch my attention was Yehuda Katz's rails.app, which is currently funded at almost 2x its initial goal. I think this is a welcome and healthy turn of events for open source, and will result in an explosion of activity as more and more contributors find it possible to carve out serious time without needing to reach the threshold of full-time, salaried employment with a corporate sponsor.