time_ago

gistfile1.rb

def time_ago(timestamp, from_timestamp = nil)
  return if timestamp.nil?

  from_timestamp = Time.now.to_i if from_timestamp.nil?

  difference = from_timestamp - timestamp
  periods    = ['second', 'minute', 'hour', 'day', 'week', 'month', 'year', 'decade']
  lengths    = [60, 60, 24, 7, 4.35, 12, 10]

  i = 0
  while difference >= lengths[i]
    difference /= lengths[i]
    i += 1
  end

  difference = difference.ceil
  periods[i] = periods[i] +'s' if difference != 1

  return "#{difference} #{periods[i]} ago"
end