# RoR physical development environment advice **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [February 7, 2010, 9:28am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-physical-development-environment-advice/183059 "2010-02-07T09:28:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 9:28am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-physical-development-environment-advice/183059/1 "2010-02-07T09:28:14Z")
Hi Folks, I’m a RoR noob (and pretty much a progrmming noob) who has been working since 7am to get a development platform set up on win 7 so that I can follow the [lynda.com](http://lynda.com) “ruby on rails essential training” tutorials. It has been a pretty cruel process, and still incomplete. I wish to pick your collective brains about a decent development environment. I have a linux box that I can hook up, plus one extra monitor I’m not using. Would I be wise to set up the linux box for RoR education, and somehow figure out how to get that second monitor working to enhance my learning environment? Many thanks for your advice. I’m flat-out beat (and I suspect you’ve all been there…)! John ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 1:21pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-physical-development-environment-advice/183059/2 "2010-02-07T13:21:07Z")
I have RoR on win7, and I cant remember any issues installing it. Download and install Ruby, download and install RubyGems, run “gem install rails” from the command line, and its done. You’ll probably want a database too, like mysql. Download and install mysql. Im still on version 5.0, last I checked, 3 months ago, there was an issue with mysql 5.1, win7 x64 and the latest version of the rails adapter. Then run “gem install mysql” from the command line to get the adapter. ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 10:11am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-physical-development-environment-advice/183059/3 "2010-02-07T10:11:12Z")
john h wrote: > Hi Folks, > > I’m a RoR noob (and pretty much a progrmming noob) who has been > working since 7am to get a development platform set up on win 7 so > that I can follow the [lynda.com](http://lynda.com) “ruby on rails essential training” > tutorials. It has been a pretty cruel process, and still incomplete. As far as I know, the [lynda.com](http://lynda.com) tutorials are out of date. What version of Rails do they use? 2.3.5 is current. I dislike Windows extremely, but I’m told that InstantRails is decent. > I wish to pick your collective brains about a decent development > environment. I have a linux box that I can hook up, plus one extra > monitor I’m not using. Use the Linux box. The less you use Windows, the happier you will be. > Would I be wise to set up the linux box for RoR education, Yes. > and somehow > figure out how to get that second monitor working to enhance my > learning environment? What was your idea for the second monitor? > Many thanks for your advice. I’m flat-out beat (and I suspect you’ve > all been there…)! > > John Best, –Â Marnen Laibow-Koser [http://www.marnen.org](http://www.marnen.org) removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-physical-development-environment-advice/183059/4 "2010-02-07T15:19:56Z")
On Sat, Feb 6, 2010 at 11:17 PM, john h [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Hi Folks, > > I’m a RoR noob (and pretty much a progrmming noob) who has been > working since 7am to get a development platform set up on win 7 so > that I can follow the [lynda.com](http://lynda.com) “ruby on rails essential training” > tutorials. It has been a pretty cruel process, and still incomplete. I just looked at the [lynda.com](http://lynda.com) site, and the Ruby on Rails tutorials all seem to have been released in 2007, with the one in question having been released in January of that year. So that means it HAS to be using Rails 1.x A lot of water has flowed under the Rails “Bridge” since then, it’s probably a wise course to look for more up-to-date tutorials, one good place to start would be > **[Ruby on Rails Guides](https://guides.rubyonrails.org/)** > > Ruby on Rails Guides But make sure you are following the “current release version” and not the “edge version”. – Rick DeNatale Blog: [http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/](http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/) Twitter: [http://twitter.com/RickDeNatale](http://twitter.com/RickDeNatale) WWR: [http://www.workingwithrails.com/person/9021-rick-denatale](http://www.workingwithrails.com/person/9021-rick-denatale) LinkedIn: [Rick DeNatale - Developer - IBM | LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickdenatale) ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-physical-development-environment-advice/183059/5 "2010-02-07T17:43:18Z")
Hi Marnen. Thank you for your response. The idea for the second monitor was to maybe have a separate full-size window open, like one for the tutorial, and one with the command line, editor, browser. Dunno, just a thought. ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-physical-development-environment-advice/183059/6 "2010-02-07T17:48:34Z")
Hi Rick. Yes, the [Lynda.com](http://Lynda.com) tutorial is using version 1.x. Thanks for the tune-up, i’ll look for a different set of tutorials i suppose!! John ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-physical-development-environment-advice/183059/7 "2010-02-07T18:02:45Z")
john h wrote: > Hi Marnen. Thank you for your response. The idea for the second > monitor was to maybe have a separate full-size window open, like one > for the tutorial, and one with the command line, editor, browser. > Dunno, just a thought. That may be quite useful. Connecting multiple monitors shouldn’t be hard. Best, –Â Marnen Laibow-Koser [http://www.marnen.org](http://www.marnen.org) removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-physical-development-environment-advice/183059/8 "2010-02-07T20:20:45Z")
Thank you everyone. May i ask one last question? My first project is to use RoR to build a Google maps application initially. I have a book on using RoR/Ajax with the google maps api, and i have built a basic php/mysql website. Rather than going down the route of studying RoR exclusively, since i’ve been exposed to the basics of the RoR framework, would you say its ok for me to just dive right in and start with the RoR/Gmaps book and just tinker/learn as i go? It seems to me that possibly the best way to learn RoR is to just simply jump in, based on what i’ve read this morning. Thanks!! John ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-physical-development-environment-advice/183059/9 "2010-02-07T20:45:39Z")
john h wrote: > Thank you everyone. May i ask one last question? > > My first project is to use RoR to build a Google maps application > initially. I have a book on using RoR/Ajax with the google maps api, > and i have built a basic php/mysql website. Rather than going down > the route of studying RoR exclusively, since i’ve been exposed to the > basics of the RoR framework, would you say its ok for me to just dive > right in and start with the RoR/Gmaps book and just tinker/learn as i > go? It seems to me that possibly the best way to learn RoR is to just > simply jump in, based on what i’ve read this morning. You’re mostly right, but I’d advise doing conventional Web development with Rails before you try Ajax. Also, make sure you understand the Ruby language on at least a basic level. Make sure you have version control in place, and do all development test-first (RSpec and Cucumber are highly recommended). Avoid Rails’ fixtures entirely; use Machinist or similar instead. I hate to say it, but don’t use Rails’ helpers for Ajax. They mix JS into your HTML, which is bad practice (Rails 3’s helpers will apparently fix this problem). Put all JS in separate files from HTML. > Thanks!! > > John Best, –Â Marnen Laibow-Koser [http://www.marnen.org](http://www.marnen.org) removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid