helper vs loop

application_helper.rb

module ApplicationHelper
  def grid_for(collection, options={}, &block)
    options[:columns] ||= 4
    options[:class] ||= ''
    content_tag :table, :class => options[:class] do
      content_tag :tbody do
        collection.to_a.in_groups_of(options[:columns]).collect {|row|
          content_tag :tr do
            row.collect{|col| content_tag :td, (capture(col, &block) unless col.nil?) }.reduce(:+)
          end
        }.reduce(:+)
      end
    end
  end
end

index.html.haml

-# dummy css
:css
  td { width:200px; }

-# helper

= grid_for @people, :columns => 4 do |person|
  = link_to person.display_name, person
  %br
  person.birth_date
  %br
  = link_to 'Edit', edit_person_path(person)
  %br
  = link_to 'Delete', person, :method => :delete

-# loop

%table
  %tbody
    - @people.to_a.in_groups_of 4 do |people_row|
      %tr
        - people_row.each do |person|
          - unless person.nil?
            %td
              = link_to person.display_name, person
              %br
              person.birth_date
              %br
              = link_to 'Edit', edit_person_path(person)
              %br
              = link_to 'Delete', person, :method => :delete