New to RonR

Rails
1

Hello,

I’ll try to keep this short BUT, I’ve got little/no experience with
programming. In fact, my only background is using Cold Fusion (since
1996 and VERY little of that for the past 5 years as I’ve been playing
as a Manager-type at my jobs so I haven’t had to do any hands-on stuff
for a while).

My question: Would Ruby on Rails be a good platform to get back into
the swing of things and is it something I can pick up on my own with a
book? Thanks so much!

2

CaleLettus wrote:

Hello,
My question: Would Ruby on Rails be a good platform to get back into
the swing of things and is it something I can pick up on my own with a
book? Thanks so much!

RoR does encompass a lot of programming “stuff.” The more general
programming experience you alreayd have the better off you will be. If
you are doing web development like I am that means at least a little
knowledge in xhtml, JavaScript, and CSS. I have been creating web apps
since June with RoR and have caught on pretty well - at least I think
so, but I had programming experience in many languages before that. If
you are doing web development “Build Your Own Ruby on Rails Web
Applications” by Patrick Lenz is a good book. Or “Ruby for Rails” by
David Black is another good one. Is it a “good platform to get back into
the swing of things?” I would say yes. The Ruby language seems to have a
lot of aspects built into the language that can be found in many other
languages. Plus, I think programming using the RoR platform is just fun,
which always makes it easier.

-S

3

Thank you Shandy. That’s exactly the kind of info I was looking for.
I’ve got some experience with javascript and CSS but it has been a
while.

On Nov 27, 11:01 am, Shandy N. [email protected]

4

You can download Build your own Ruby on Rails web applications book for
free
from SitePoint

http://www.sitepoint.com/books/rails1/freebook.php

Jason

5

CaleLettus wrote:

Hello,

I’ll try to keep this short BUT, I’ve got little/no experience with
programming. In fact, my only background is using Cold Fusion (since
1996 and VERY little of that for the past 5 years as I’ve been playing
as a Manager-type at my jobs so I haven’t had to do any hands-on stuff
for a while).

My question: Would Ruby on Rails be a good platform to get back into
the swing of things and is it something I can pick up on my own with a
book? Thanks so much!

ROR is awesome. So is easy to learn. It also eliminates a lot of the
hassle of crazy database designs some DBA’s make, that are hard as heck
to code to and impossible to maintain. I used Aptana (eclipse knock
off) but it corrupted my files on a java update. I got rid of it. I use
jEdit now for editing.

You will need CSS for web design, and there are many free template
sites.
You might want to learn database refactoring.
And then there is agile and extreme programming technigue’s.

In my opinion, stay away from the UML unless you are dying
to get into ton’s of time documenting things that will change.
You can just do a simple data flow diagram, in most cases,
or a class/attributes diagram. But in my world, the documents NEVER
get updated and you have to check the code, anyway.

I am not sure where this is from, but it is true: (it might be from the
envy guys)

Ruby Sucks Because

* Ruby does not any major corporate sponsorship or backing
* At RubyConf everybody wants to talk about Rails
* At RailsConf half the audience is writing books from lectures

given by the other half
* Ruby is a DSL for Rails
* Most people think that DHH wrote Ruby or never have heard of Matz
* There is no language specification for Ruby
* Ruby will fragment to different wannabe successors
* JRuby will ultimately go where Ruby can’t, the enterprise
* Closures are by no means unique to Ruby, get over it
* Ruby and Rubyist seem to have an inferiority complex when it comes
to Java, get counseling
* Rails is too tightly mind controlled, managed, copyrighted, owned
by DHH and 37signals

Java Sucks Because

* Java has way to many freaking frameworks
* There is sooo much to learn in developing an application
* Java has far too many APIs and libraries that are designed by

committee
* People still think Java is slow
* Java still suffers from the fiasco that was Applets
* Java still suffers from the fiasco that was EJB 2.x
* There too many flavors of the JRE (Java 5, Java 1.4, J2SE, JEE,
J2ME, JWTF)
* The JRE has a lot of junk in the trunk
* Methods gets deprecated, nothing gets removed, the API gets
bloated
* Java does not always run everywhere, sometimes you need to go
native
* Java is still primitive
* Java developers are a dime a dozen
* Java puts you in XML hell

Python Sucks Because

* Python cares about whitespace, I don’t care for that
* Python programmers are morons
* I like David Chappelle better than Monty Python
* Guido van Rossum doesn’t work at 37signals
* Python has no personality like JavaScript or personalities like

Dave T.
* Python will never go mainstream, not even with Google’s backing

6

I myself have used CF since 99 and thought “why doesn’t everyone use
this? it’s so easy.” I now that that about ROR.
It took some time for me to relearn my OOP skills but now that I have
it back I don’t want to work in CF or anything else.
Each programing language has its strengths and weakness. I don’t want
to start a war.

My big learning curve was learning ruby and the rails framework.

Top 12 Ruby on Rails Tutorials

A OOP 101 book that uses ruby

Learn to Program, by Chris P.
http://pine.fm/LearnToProgram/

I also recommend the book, as mentioned by Shandy, “Ruby for Rails” by
David Black
that helped me “get it”

John I.

7

On Nov 27, 9:47 am, CaleLettus [email protected] wrote:

Hello,

I’ll try to keep this short BUT, I’ve got little/no experience with
programming. In fact, my only background is using Cold Fusion (since
1996 and VERY little of that for the past 5 years as I’ve been playing
as a Manager-type at my jobs so I haven’t had to do any hands-on stuff
for a while).

My question: Would Ruby on Rails be a good platform to get back into
the swing of things

Yes.

and is it something I can pick up on my own with a
book?

Possibly. Get “Agile Web D. with Rails” and “Programming
Ruby” and get started.

8

I’ve got a CS degree and 25 years of programming experience (just to let
you
know where I’m coming from…)

I’d say trying to tackle Rails without a good grounding in programming
would
be a very frustrating experience. However, IMHO Ruby is an excellent
first
language to learn. Check out “Learn to Program” by the Prags:

Another way to learn Ruby, is to learn Smalltalk. Smalltalk is a very
easy
to learn language, there are several very good implementations available
for
free (I recommend Squeak), and there are tons of used books available
for
peanuts on Amazon. Lots of Smalltalk concepts translate directly into
Ruby,
and Smalltalk is easier/more fun to play with. Plus there is a very
helpful
maillist geared towards helping newbies… much more intimate than this
list. Check out smalltalk.org

Have fun and give yourself plenty of time.

– John

On Nov 27, 2007 10:47 AM, CaleLettus [email protected] wrote:

the swing of things and is it something I can pick up on my own with a
book? Thanks so much!

–
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Identry, LLC
Northport, NY 11768

Phone: (631) 754-8440
Fax: (631) 980-4262
Email: [email protected]
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9

On Nov 28, 2007 9:59 AM, Identry [email protected] wrote:

I’ve got a CS degree and 25 years of programming experience

And in all that time you still haven’t learned to stop top-posting?

–
Greg D.
http://destiney.com/

10

Identry wrote:

Another way to learn Ruby, is to learn Smalltalk. Smalltalk is a very
easy
to learn language, there are several very good implementations available

…

Have fun and give yourself plenty of time.

– John

Dude,

Are you sure you want to send somebody to smalltalk and then back to
ruby? That is learning 2 languages, which can be a bit frustrating and
take some time. While I see you are an awesome expert in several
languages, do you think 2 languages might be a little much? Just a
thought.

And if he stay’s here on ruby, he has John to answer questions. John is
good at what he does.

And I want to complain about the phone number thingy you got. I did not
get any cool names. Can you hack me a new phone number? They want a
freaking $36 to change my phone number.

lol. :slight_smile:

11

On Nov 28, 2007 11:05 AM, Greg D. [email protected] wrote:

On Nov 28, 2007 9:59 AM, Identry [email protected] wrote:

I’ve got a CS degree and 25 years of programming experience

And in all that time you still haven’t learned to stop top-posting?

LOL…

–
Greg D.
http://destiney.com/

–
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Identry, LLC
Northport, NY 11768

Phone: (631) 754-8440
Fax: (631) 980-4262
Email: [email protected]
Member: ABA, ANA, ASDA, APS, ESA,
The Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email,
Long Island Web D.'s Guild.

Visit us on the web at www.identry.com
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
BUILDING YOU A BETTER ONLINE BUSINESS
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>