# Another Ruby Book (and interview)

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/another-ruby-book-and-interview/154549>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [December 1, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/another-ruby-book-and-interview/154549 "2008-12-01T15:39:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/858c86/32.png) [@pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pat_eyler)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/another-ruby-book-and-interview/154549/1 "2008-12-01T15:39:28Z")

</div>

Most ruby-talk readers probably know that a Ruby edition  
of Refactoring is due out in a couple of months. I was kind  
of caught by surprise by the news that a Ruby edition of  
William Wake’s ‘Refactoring Workbook’ was in the works  
too.

I interviewed William and his co-author, Kevin Rutherford  
last week, and posted the interview this morning. Take  
a look if you’re interested.

[On Ruby: Ruby Refactoring Workbook Interview](http://on-ruby.blogspot.com/2008/12/ruby-refactoring-workbook-interview.html)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/858c86/32.png) [@pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pat_eyler)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/another-ruby-book-and-interview/154549/2 "2008-12-04T18:20:32Z")

</div>

On Mon, Dec 01, 2008 at 11:33:22PM +0900, pat eyler wrote:

> [On Ruby: Ruby Refactoring Workbook Interview](http://on-ruby.blogspot.com/2008/12/ruby-refactoring-workbook-interview.html)  
> So . . . what’s the difference between this upcoming book and the Fields  
> and Harvie _Refactoring: Ruby Edition_? I’m not entirely clear on why  
> this book is better than, or particularly different from, the other.

I ask because I was considering getting a copy of _Refactoring: Ruby  
Edition_, and now that this new book has appeared on the horizon I  
wonder  
if I should get that instead. Please note that while “get both” is a  
reasonable idea in the long run, I’ll definitely only buy one at first,  
and would like to know which would serve me better, initially.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/858c86/32.png) [@pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pat_eyler)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/another-ruby-book-and-interview/154549/3 "2008-12-05T02:05:37Z")

</div>

On Fri, Dec 05, 2008 at 02:32:21AM +0900, pat eyler wrote:

> The workbook is meant to be a tool to guide a practitioner through  
> the refactoring book. (Think of the workbook that came with your  
> Math texts back in elementary school.)

Thanks for clarifying. That wasn’t even slightly clear from the  
interview.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/858c86/32.png) [@pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pat_eyler)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 6:38pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/another-ruby-book-and-interview/154549/4 "2008-12-04T18:38:41Z")

</div>

On Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 10:13 AM, Chad P. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)  
wrote:

> > [On Ruby: Ruby Refactoring Workbook Interview](http://on-ruby.blogspot.com/2008/12/ruby-refactoring-workbook-interview.html)
> 
> So . . . what’s the difference between this upcoming book and the Fields  
> and Harvie _Refactoring: Ruby Edition_? I’m not entirely clear on why  
> this book is better than, or particularly different from, the other.

The workbook is meant to be a tool to guide a practitioner through  
the refactoring book. (Think of the workbook that came with your  
Math texts back in elementary school.)

If you’ve got a local resource who’s refactoring-fu is strong, or you  
are already facile with the process, you probably don’t need the  
workbook. If you’re trying to become the master refactorer from your  
team and you’re starting from scratch, getting both is probably a  
good idea.

> I ask because I was considering getting a copy of _Refactoring: Ruby  
> Edition_, and now that this new book has appeared on the horizon I wonder  
> if I should get that instead. Please note that while “get both” is a  
> reasonable idea in the long run, I’ll definitely only buy one at first,  
> and would like to know which would serve me better, initially.

I’d buy Refactoring first, then consider the workbook depending on  
how quickly I was coming up to speed vs. how quickly I want/need to.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/858c86/32.png) [@pat\_eyler](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pat_eyler)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 2:41am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/another-ruby-book-and-interview/154549/5 "2008-12-05T02:41:17Z")

</div>

On Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 5:58 PM, Chad P. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> On Fri, Dec 05, 2008 at 02:32:21AM +0900, pat eyler wrote:
> 
> > The workbook is meant to be a tool to guide a practitioner through  
> > the refactoring book. (Think of the workbook that came with your  
> > Math texts back in elementary school.)
> 
> Thanks for clarifying. That wasn’t even slightly clear from the  
> interview.

I’ll correct that when I review the book (once it’s out). Thanks for  
asking about it.