try_for_a_bit.rb

require 'rubygems'
require 'system_timer'

def try_for_a_bit
  result = nil
  e_last = nil
  begin
    SystemTimer.timeout_after(2) do
      until result
        begin
          return result if (result = yield) && !result.respond_to?(:empty?) || !result.empty?
        rescue Exception => e_last
        end
        sleep 0.1
      end
    end
  rescue Timeout::Error => e
    raise e_last || e
  end
end


try_for_a_bit { nil } #=> sometimes Timeout::Error... sometimes infinite loop.

try_for_a_bit { raise "test" } #=> RuntimeError: test

try_for_a_bit { sleep 5; raise "test" } #=> infinite loop?