if programming books were written by crazy people...
July 6, 2004 8:03 PM Subscribe
Do you find programming books so dry and boring that they're difficult to concentrate on? Do you want to learn Ruby? You need Why's (Poignant) Guide to Ruby.
But the writing is hilarious. Chapter 2 requires no prgramming literacy to enjoy. And I should know!
posted by ericost at 8:46 PM on July 6, 2004
posted by ericost at 8:46 PM on July 6, 2004
OK, the cartoon foxes are pretty funny. ("Chunky bacon! Woohoo!")
posted by SPrintF at 9:15 PM on July 6, 2004
posted by SPrintF at 9:15 PM on July 6, 2004
Ruby is by far my favourite programming language, and Why has been one of my heroes ever since I happened upon his site. As ericost notes, the writing (especially the digressive sidebars) is worthwhile even if you don't care about programming.
Speaking of Why's site, it's now powered by Hobix, a lightweight weblogging tool of his recent invention, and RedCloth, a Textile implementation for Ruby. Hobix is still very unfinished and mostly undocumented, though.
posted by infidelpants at 9:31 PM on July 6, 2004
Speaking of Why's site, it's now powered by Hobix, a lightweight weblogging tool of his recent invention, and RedCloth, a Textile implementation for Ruby. Hobix is still very unfinished and mostly undocumented, though.
posted by infidelpants at 9:31 PM on July 6, 2004
Good to see other Ruby fans here. While, sadly, I must code in Java in order to get paid, I sneak in Ruby on the job when I can, and do all my side code in Ruby.
posted by Ayn Marx at 10:22 PM on July 6, 2004
posted by Ayn Marx at 10:22 PM on July 6, 2004
Ruby is the one language.
And that guide is way more fun than the pick-axe book.
posted by mosch at 11:45 PM on July 6, 2004
And that guide is way more fun than the pick-axe book.
posted by mosch at 11:45 PM on July 6, 2004
very pretty CSS.
er... Wait, I have to add more or you won't think I'm enough of a sarcastic bastard. Is this enough?
posted by delmoi at 11:48 PM on July 6, 2004
er... Wait, I have to add more or you won't think I'm enough of a sarcastic bastard. Is this enough?
posted by delmoi at 11:48 PM on July 6, 2004
wow -- sad ive missed this for so long -- glad that ive found it
posted by Satapher at 3:39 AM on July 7, 2004
posted by Satapher at 3:39 AM on July 7, 2004
How about some of you well-informed folk sharing why Ruby's so darn special?
posted by leotrotsky at 4:33 AM on July 7, 2004
posted by leotrotsky at 4:33 AM on July 7, 2004
How long has Ruby been around? I discovered it the other day while looking for something that would turn my exported Yahoo! mail into something OS X could read. I found a ruby script, and read something about it being installed and ready to go in OS X. Low and behold - it worked just fine. Apparently it will work just as well in Windows, Linux, etc.
Also, after asking a question about a personal Wiki in the green, I was pointed in the direction of instiki, also written in Ruby and also cross platform. It worked out of the "box" in OS X.
So is this a new phenomenon, or has it been around for a while and is just now catching on?
Whatever the case, I'm going to look into it - I'm not a programmer but would like to be able to do a few things every now and again. Ruby looks like an accessible way to get into it.
posted by aladfar at 5:54 AM on July 7, 2004
Also, after asking a question about a personal Wiki in the green, I was pointed in the direction of instiki, also written in Ruby and also cross platform. It worked out of the "box" in OS X.
So is this a new phenomenon, or has it been around for a while and is just now catching on?
Whatever the case, I'm going to look into it - I'm not a programmer but would like to be able to do a few things every now and again. Ruby looks like an accessible way to get into it.
posted by aladfar at 5:54 AM on July 7, 2004
To some of us Ruby fans, we don't just code with it, we just can't stop watching and even dining on it.
posted by Stoatfarm at 7:32 AM on July 7, 2004
posted by Stoatfarm at 7:32 AM on July 7, 2004
Ruby has been around since 1995 but the main thing that kept it from catching on was the lack of english documentation. As more English documentation (such as this one) is coming out, the hype train has been picking up speed. Perhaps i'll have to learn it.
posted by escher at 8:59 AM on July 7, 2004
posted by escher at 8:59 AM on July 7, 2004
What a great guide. It's so entertaining I nearly forgot it was about programming.
posted by mindless progress at 9:10 AM on July 7, 2004
posted by mindless progress at 9:10 AM on July 7, 2004
This reminds me a lot of the Mr. Bunny series. Good stuff.
posted by qDot at 10:36 AM on July 7, 2004
posted by qDot at 10:36 AM on July 7, 2004
i kinda wish it didnt stop where it does --- it was just starting to get really good
posted by Satapher at 6:36 PM on July 7, 2004
posted by Satapher at 6:36 PM on July 7, 2004
Ruby has been around since 1995 but the main thing that kept it from catching on was the lack of english documentation. As more English documentation (such as this one) is coming out, the hype train has been picking up speed. Perhaps i'll have to learn it
Find more documentation at ruby-doc.org
posted by Ayn Marx at 10:05 PM on July 8, 2004
Find more documentation at ruby-doc.org
posted by Ayn Marx at 10:05 PM on July 8, 2004
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