what is has_remote.rb

class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  def email
    # Make REST call, parse response, extract email address and return it.
    # Probably not the most concise and expressive code.
  end
end

# Is more or less equal to:

class RemoteUser < ActiveResource::Base
  self.site = "..."
end

class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  def email
    RemoteUser.find(remote_user_id).email
  end
end

# Is equal to:

class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_remote :site => "..."

  def email
    User::Remote.find(remote_user_id).email
  end
end

# Is equal to:

class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_remote :site => "..."

  def email
    remote.email
  end
end

# Is equal to:

class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_remote :site => "..." do |r|
    r.attribute :email
  end
end