Programming Ruby For Newbies

[Jin Dynasty]

Howdy there,
I have always been interested in programming. I looked for books, but it
treated me like a pro. Please let me state now: I have not done any
programming before.

I looked around, and Ruby seems most appealing to me, so I picked it as
a first language; my mother tongue.

Now what do I want? I am looking for a programming Ruby for dummies, for
those who haven't type a single command line in their lifetime. Now I
tried to read Programming Ruby, commonly called The Pickaxe, but again,
the reader was treated as the book's subject aficionado.

To sum up my rambling in one sentence: I want a programming ruby guide
for dummies.

I'm not asking for you to do my simple search on the net, I'm asking for
your recommendation or referrals.

Thanks in advanced,
Jin

 

[dblack]

Hi --

Howdy there,
I have always been interested in programming. I looked for books, but it
treated me like a pro. Please let me state now: I have not done any
programming before.

I looked around, and Ruby seems most appealing to me, so I picked it as
a first language; my mother tongue.

Now what do I want? I am looking for a programming Ruby for dummies, for
those who haven't type a single command line in their lifetime. Now I
tried to read Programming Ruby, commonly called The Pickaxe, but again,
the reader was treated as the book's subject aficionado.

To sum up my rambling in one sentence: I want a programming ruby guide
for dummies.

I'm not asking for you to do my simple search on the net, I'm asking for
your recommendation or referrals.

You should check out Chris Pine's book "Learn to Program", which is an
intro to programming that uses Ruby to teach you.

http://pine.fm/LearnToProgram/


David

--
* Books:
RAILS ROUTING (new! http://www.awprofessional.com/title/0321509242)
RUBY FOR RAILS (http://www.manning.com/black)
* Ruby/Rails training
& consulting: Ruby Power and Light, LLC (http://www.rubypal.com)

 

[Tim Hunter]

Howdy there,
I have always been interested in programming. I looked for books, but it
treated me like a pro. Please let me state now: I have not done any
programming before.

I looked around, and Ruby seems most appealing to me, so I picked it as
a first language; my mother tongue.

Now what do I want? I am looking for a programming Ruby for dummies, for
those who haven't type a single command line in their lifetime. Now I
tried to read Programming Ruby, commonly called The Pickaxe, but again,
the reader was treated as the book's subject aficionado.

To sum up my rambling in one sentence: I want a programming ruby guide
for dummies.

Check out Peter Cooper's _Beginning_Ruby_, from Apress.

 

[Mohit Sindhwani]

Hi --



You should check out Chris Pine's book "Learn to Program", which is an
intro to programming that uses Ruby to teach you.

http://pine.fm/LearnToProgram/


David

I agree - I strongly recommend this one!

Cheers,
Mohit.
9/4/2007 | 11:12 AM.

 

[Jonathan Denni]

I agree - I strongly recommend this one!

Cheers,
Mohit.
9/4/2007 | 11:12 AM.

I second that second!

Ruby is my first language as well, and Chris Pine's book was essential!
Buy it. It's worth it.

 

[Thomas Wieczorek]

Now what do I want? I am looking for a programming Ruby for dummies, for
those who haven't type a single command line in their lifetime. Now I
tried to read Programming Ruby, commonly called The Pickaxe, but again,
the reader was treated as the book's subject aficionado.

I really love why's guide: http://poignantguide.net/ruby/ It woke the
interest for Ruby in me and kept me digging deeper in it. I love the
cartoons and the crazy sidebars

 

[7stud --]

Now I
tried to read Programming Ruby, commonly called The Pickaxe, but again,
the reader was treated as the book's subject aficionado.

I'm reading it now, and I agree with you--a newcomer to programming has
no chance of understanding it, so don't feel bad.

 

[John Joyce]

The Pickaxe is best as a reference or a starting point for
experienced programmers, but indispensible as a reference book for Ruby.
Chris Pine's "Learning to Program" is excellent for anyone completely
new to programming.
After that, Peter Cooper's book, Beginning Ruby, From Novice to
Professional, might not make you professional (that's the Apress
series subtitle, but it will take you on a tour of lots of things you
can do with Ruby.
This mailing list is also definitely the right place for questions.

 

[Thomas Wieczorek]

I really love why's guide: http://poignantguide.net/ruby/ It woke the
interest for Ruby in me and kept me digging deeper in it. I love the
cartoons and the crazy sidebars

Ah, there's also a book form of why's guide, but I can't find the shop
right now.

 

[rgossen]

I am also a Ruby and programming newb, and I have bought countless
books. I would recommend that you start with Chris Pine's "Learn to
Program." From there, I would go with David Black's "Ruby for Rails,"
particularly if you plan to get into Rails. Other responses mentioned
Peter Cooper's "Beginning Ruby" and I found that to be a good book as
well.

Rahlyn

 

[Jeremy Woertink]

Howdy there,
I have always been interested in programming. I looked for books, but it
treated me like a pro. Please let me state now: I have not done any
programming before.

I looked around, and Ruby seems most appealing to me, so I picked it as
a first language; my mother tongue.

Now what do I want? I am looking for a programming Ruby for dummies, for
those who haven't type a single command line in their lifetime. Now I
tried to read Programming Ruby, commonly called The Pickaxe, but again,
the reader was treated as the book's subject aficionado.

To sum up my rambling in one sentence: I want a programming ruby guide
for dummies.

I'm not asking for you to do my simple search on the net, I'm asking for
your recommendation or referrals.

Thanks in advanced,
Jin

"You should check out Chris Pine's book "Learn to Program", which is an
intro to programming that uses Ruby to teach you.

http://pine.fm/LearnToProgram/"

I agree with David, this was the first programming book I ever read. You
will want to read it twice though. I was in the same boat you were in. I
hate reading, and it takes me a while to understand some of these
things. He has you do small examples in the book and gives you small
tests. If you make it through completely 1 time through, then start back
at the beginning like it's your first time through, and you will catch
so much you missed the first time.



~Jeremy

 

[Lloyd Linklater]

To sum up my rambling in one sentence: I want a programming ruby guide
for dummies.

There is something close:
http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesTitle/productCd-0470081201.html

 

[Ayyappan K.]

hi,
Also check http://www.rubyist.net/~slagell/ruby/examples.html
-Ayyappan K.

 

[Ari Brown]

Please don't tempt us. ;-)

My only problem with For Dummy books is that they have poor paper
quality. 'Nuff said.

-------------------------------------------------------|
~ Ari
crap my sig won't fit

 

[John Joyce]

Like all books, many publishers' quality varies within a series from
title to title though the covers look similar.
Luckily, with Ruby, almost all the books are very very good.
If you want to learn Rails at some point, you want to get the book
from Sitepoint or the Friends of Ed book. They're both pretty good to
people new at programming and new at Ruby and new at web applications.
David Black's book is excellent for it's incredible and unique Ruby
insights, but it's approach to Rails is a bit out of date. That said,
it's still a very good book that should be in your Ruby library. It's
just too bad that the middle section dedicated to Ruby isn't
rewritten and bound as a purely Ruby book.
You'll see his posts here FREQUENTLY. David's posts are always worth
reading, no matter what you're doing with Ruby.
But you will see a whole host of names of people who post here
regularly that also have lots of insight and are very helpful.

Don't hesitate to visit the web sites of books and their authors.
Ruby and Rails authors are nice people and will actually respond to
you and try to help you if they can.

 

[Jörg W Mittag]

I second that second!

Ruby is my first language as well, and Chris Pine's book was essential!
Buy it. It's worth it.

My personal dream book is "Learn to Pragmatically Program Ruby for
Rails, Head First (with Foxes)" by Chris Pine, Dave Thomas, David
Black, Kathy Sierra and _why the lucky stiff, but I doubt that will
ever get written (-;

jwm

 

[Luis Fernando Flores Oviedo]

I am currently reading Peter Cooper's "Beginning Ruby From Novice to
Professional" from appres. It has been a very funny experience and I =
have
enjoyed so far, with good examples and simple programming projects that =
tie
all together and help me make perfect sense of Ruby's ways. Check this =
book
at =
http://www.rubyinside.com/my-book-beginning-ruby-published-today-437.html=



Hope it helps.

Luis Fernando Flores Oviedo
Project Management Professional
Mobil: (449) 114 9577

-----Mensaje original-----
De: J=F6rg W Mittag [mailto:[email protected]]=20
Enviado el: Mi=E9rcoles, 05 de Septiembre de 2007 09:20
Para: ruby-talk ML
Asunto: Re: Programming Ruby For Newbies

I second that second!
=20
Ruby is my first language as well, and Chris Pine's book was = essential!
Buy it. It's worth it.

My personal dream book is "Learn to Pragmatically Program Ruby for
Rails, Head First (with Foxes)" by Chris Pine, Dave Thomas, David
Black, Kathy Sierra and _why the lucky stiff, but I doubt that will
ever get written (-;

jwm