# Ruby beginner

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-beginner/177118>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [October 12, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-beginner/177118 "2009-10-12T01:25:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lgas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@lgas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/lgas)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-beginner/177118/1 "2009-10-12T01:25:07Z")

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hi guys reading here seems like everyone is a whole lot smarter at this  
than i am…which is good “right”! I really am a beginner at this  
stuff…i downloaded ruby…good news…but how does it work…what kind  
of programs can i make…that is if i get beyond “Scite” and command  
lines i cant find anywhere…really need step by step instructions i  
have scoured the internet but to no avail…idiot here remember! any one  
with good ideas where i can start…john

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**Author:** ![lgas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@lgas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/lgas)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 2:03am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-beginner/177118/2 "2009-10-12T02:03:46Z")

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I found Beginning Ruby, From Novice to Professional a worthwhile read:

[http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Ruby-Novice-Professional-Second/dp/143022363](http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Ruby-Novice-Professional-Second/dp/143022363)  
4

I have a limited background in other languages and was able to keep up  
with  
this one fine.

I was more interested in Ruby on Rails though, so moved on to Foundation  
Rails 2 and the like pretty quickly.

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**Author:** ![lgas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@lgas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/lgas)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 2:06am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-beginner/177118/3 "2009-10-12T02:06:07Z")

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Kurt Kowitz wrote:

> I found Beginning Ruby, From Novice to Professional a worthwhile read:
> 
> [Amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Ruby-Novice-Professional-Second/dp/143022363)  
> 4
> 
> I have a limited background in other languages and was able to keep up  
> with  
> this one fine.
> 
> I was more interested in Ruby on Rails though, so moved on to Foundation  
> Rails 2 and the like pretty quickly.

Thank you Kurt…I will give it a try…john

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**Author:** ![lgas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@lgas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/lgas)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 6:35am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-beginner/177118/4 "2009-10-12T06:35:12Z")

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John Embree wrote:

> hi guys reading here seems like everyone is a whole lot smarter at this  
> than i am…which is good “right”! I really am a beginner at this  
> stuff…i downloaded ruby…good news…but how does it work…

You have to write programs to do things. Then you execute the programs  
using ruby, and voila! you get the results you wanted.

> what kind  
> of programs can i make…

Anything and everything. How big is your imagination?

> that is if i get beyond “Scite” and command  
> lines i cant find anywhere…

The first thing you need to do when posting a question is tell everyone  
what OS you are using, for example: Windows XP or Mac OSX 10.4.11m or  
Linux or…

> really need step by step instructions

About what specifically? Running your first program?

> i  
> have scoured the internet but to no avail…idiot here remember! any one  
> with good ideas where i can start…john

I also recommend “Beginning Ruby: From Novice to Professional”. Make  
sure you get the latest edition, which I think is the 2nd.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lgas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@lgas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/lgas)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 5:55am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-beginner/177118/5 "2009-10-12T05:55:32Z")

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“John Embree” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote in message  
news:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid…

> hi guys reading here seems like everyone is a whole lot smarter at this  
> than i am…which is good “right”! I really am a beginner at this  
> stuff…i downloaded ruby…good news…but how does it work…what kind  
> of programs can i make…that is if i get beyond “Scite” and command  
> lines i cant find anywhere…really need step by step instructions i  
> have scoured the internet but to no avail…idiot here remember! any one  
> with good ideas where i can start…john

Hello John:

You might want to try these:

[http://www-users.math.umd.edu/~dcarrera/ruby/0.3/](http://www-users.math.umd.edu/~dcarrera/ruby/0.3/)

> **[Ruby Basic Tutorial](http://www.troubleshooters.com/codecorn/ruby/basictutorial.htm)**
>
> A tutorial on Ruby basics

[http://www.ruby-lang.org/en/documentation/quickstart/](http://www.ruby-lang.org/en/documentation/quickstart/)  
[http://www.rubycentral.com/book/](http://www.rubycentral.com/book/)

Michael