# Newbie - which version to start with

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-which-version-to-start-with/123646>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [December 19, 2007, 1:59pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-which-version-to-start-with/123646 "2007-12-19T13:59:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Acm](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Acm](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Acm)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 1:59pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-which-version-to-start-with/123646/1 "2007-12-19T13:59:28Z")

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Hi,

I am a Ruby on Rails newbie and have some questions.

The latests versions seem to be:  
Rails 2.0.2 and  
Ruby 1.8.6

Should I install these?  
What about ruby gems? Is there a specific version for that?

Also, I have bought the RoR book (Agile Web D. with Rails),  
but it covers a 1.x version of Rails. Is it useful to start off  
trying things out by following this book (with older versions)?

In the RoR weblog [http://weblog.rubyonrails.org/](http://weblog.rubyonrails.org/) there seems to be too  
many complaints about installations, setups, versions, and so on…  
thus help would be very appreciated.

Thank you

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Acm](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Acm](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Acm)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 3:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-which-version-to-start-with/123646/2 "2007-12-19T15:09:37Z")

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I think it is better to start of with the latest version, by refering  
to online guides, like Fabio Akita’s rails 2 screencast and tutorial,  
and refer to the RoR book along the way in the same time, so you know  
what are the new changes in Rails 2. Don’t bother bout the  
installation problem, you’ll solve it out along the way even if you  
have.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Acm](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Acm](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Acm)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 3:18pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-which-version-to-start-with/123646/3 "2007-12-19T15:18:32Z")

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yep, start with the latest,

I’ve got some guides on my blog if you want to read

… [http://www.red91.com](http://www.red91.com)

otherwise have a look at the screencasts on these, good examples…

… [http://www.railscasts.com](http://www.railscasts.com)  
… [http://www.railsenvy.com](http://www.railsenvy.com)  
… [http://www.peepcode.com](http://www.peepcode.com)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Acm](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Acm](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Acm)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 4:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-which-version-to-start-with/123646/4 "2007-12-19T16:20:20Z")

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You may want to check out RailsCasts (free) [http://www.railscasts.com/](http://www.railscasts.com/)  
and PeepCode (not free, but well worth the $ IMHO) http://  
[peepcode.com](http://peepcode.com). Both have updated material available.

Good luck.  
Mike