# Newbie ,needed help learning ruby **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [August 2, 2008, 3:37pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-needed-help-learning-ruby/144816 "2008-08-02T15:37:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wrapster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@wrapster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wrapster)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 3:37pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-needed-help-learning-ruby/144816/1 "2008-08-02T15:37:17Z")
Hi all, I am a newbie and trying to learn ruby! I have found a few materials on the web like the pragmatic programmers guide… But i feel its a little over my head when it comes to understanding the concepts and implementing my own programs So would like to know if there are any more dedicated beginners guide out there help appreciated Thanks ---
**Author:** ![wrapster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@wrapster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wrapster)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-needed-help-learning-ruby/144816/2 "2008-08-02T15:45:32Z")
Read this =\> Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs ---
**Author:** ![wrapster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@wrapster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wrapster)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-needed-help-learning-ruby/144816/3 "2008-08-02T16:57:32Z")
Try Ruby: [http://tryruby.hobix.com/](http://tryruby.hobix.com/) It also has a link to \_why’s book, for when you’re finished. I’ve never been much for his writing style, but he’s awesome in an actually-interactive medium like tryruby – and once you understand that, you might have a better shot with something like the Pragmatic Programmers. ---
**Author:** ![wrapster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@wrapster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wrapster)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-needed-help-learning-ruby/144816/4 "2008-08-02T20:42:23Z")
Wrapster Aol wrote: > Hi all, > > I am a newbie and trying to learn ruby! > I have found a few materials on the web like the pragmatic programmers > guide… > But i feel its a little over my head when it comes to understanding the > concepts and implementing my own programs > So would like to know if there are any more dedicated beginners guide > out there > **[Ruby-Doc.org: Documenting the Ruby Language](https://ruby-doc.org/gettingstarted/)** > > Fast, searchable Ruby documentation for core and standard libraries. Plus, links to tutorials, guides, books, and related sites. – James B. [www.happycamperstudios.com](http://www.happycamperstudios.com) - Wicked Cool Coding [www.jamesbritt.com](http://www.jamesbritt.com) - Playing with Better Toys [www.ruby-doc.org](http://www.ruby-doc.org) - Ruby Help & Documentation [www.rubystuff.com](http://www.rubystuff.com) - The Ruby Store for Ruby Stuff ---
**Author:** ![wrapster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@wrapster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wrapster)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 9:05pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-needed-help-learning-ruby/144816/5 "2008-08-02T21:05:52Z")
I wrote The Little Book Of Ruby for people just like you. It covers the fundamentals in 10 chapters of a PDF book and comes with lots of ready-to-run source code examples for all the code in the text: [http://www.sapphiresteel.com/The-Little-Book-Of-Ruby](http://www.sapphiresteel.com/The-Little-Book-Of-Ruby) If you want to go into more depth, you can also download the first 4 chapters of a much bigger book called, simply, The Book Of Ruby: [http://www.sapphiresteel.com/The-Book-Of-Ruby](http://www.sapphiresteel.com/The-Book-Of-Ruby) This book will eventually be over 400 pages long and, just like the Little Book, it comes with all source code. I am building up to the final book by adding one chapter at a time (a new chapter every couple of weeks). Both The Book and The Little Book are free… best wishes Huw C. SapphireSteel Software Ruby and Rails In Visual Studio [http://www.sapphiresteel.com](http://www.sapphiresteel.com) ---
**Author:** ![wrapster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@wrapster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wrapster)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-needed-help-learning-ruby/144816/6 "2008-08-03T00:07:40Z")
> But i feel its a little over my head when it comes to > understanding the concepts and implementing my own programs I think the only way ultimately is to experiment on your own. I am of course not saying that good books etc… won’t help, but I am saying that the best effect is when you write bad code, and one day lateron you realize exactly why this is bad code. IMHO designing is rather hard, at least for me. “Good” design takes a lot of effort, and I tend to be very lazy (although I document everything in a concise manner) One way could be to design a little game that uses “actors” to do something (ok ok i just suggested that you write some little game). ---
**Author:** ![wrapster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@wrapster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wrapster)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2008, 1:37am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-needed-help-learning-ruby/144816/7 "2008-08-03T01:37:13Z")
James B. wrote: > [Ruby-Doc.org: Documenting the Ruby Language](http://ruby-doc.org/gettingstarted) Looks like this page could use a little love. The link to the comp.lang.ruby FAQ goes nowhere and the Ruby Language FAQ link takes you to a 404 page. ---
**Author:** ![wrapster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@wrapster](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/wrapster)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 3:08am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-needed-help-learning-ruby/144816/8 "2008-08-04T03:08:31Z")
From: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [[mailto:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)] # [http://www.sapphiresteel.com/The-Little-Book-Of-Ruby](http://www.sapphiresteel.com/The-Little-Book-Of-Ruby) … # [http://www.sapphiresteel.com/The-Book-Of-Ruby](http://www.sapphiresteel.com/The-Book-Of-Ruby) # … Both The Book and The Little Book are free… noble project. And considering that they are free, I hope jamesb would include your books in the ruby-doc frontpage.