Windows Shell io loop class is portable and can be used by multiple classes to make consol apps

windows_shell.rb

## this is a Handy Dandy shell class, it controls stdin/out flow allowing your programs
## to pass this class around and start and stop it with ease, I lost my elaborate version of this class so I just wipped this
## one up with haste. Feel free to offer suggestions.
##
## The object that becomes parent here usually has a @api variable, which processes the input to the app, i sometimes call it the
## application input firewall.
##
class Windows_Shell 
   def initialize(parent)
    @parent = parent
    @run = false
	start
  end
  def start
    @run = true
	  main_loop
	  exit
  end
  def stop
    @run = false
  end
  def main_loop
    while @run
	    print "<" + $shell_label.to_s + ": "
	    inp = gets.chomp.to_s
	    puts ">" + $shell_label.to_s + ": " + @parent.shell_in(inp).to_s
	  end
  end
end