# The Ruby Programming Language **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [January 30, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/the-ruby-programming-language/127602 "2008-01-30T18:45:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bigdaddy71](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@bigdaddy71](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bigdaddy71)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/the-ruby-programming-language/127602/1 "2008-01-30T18:45:31Z")
Just got note from O’Reilly about The Ruby P.ming Language ([The Ruby Programming Language [Book]](http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9780596516178)) by Matz and Flanagan. This must have been a super-secret project as I can’t find any references to it via Google. Looks good, but do I really need another RUby book? 9^) Cheers ---
**Author:** ![bigdaddy71](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@bigdaddy71](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bigdaddy71)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/the-ruby-programming-language/127602/2 "2008-01-30T20:38:36Z")
On Jan 30, 2008 11:44 AM, Chris H. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Just got note from O’Reilly about The Ruby P.ming Language > ([The Ruby Programming Language [Book]](http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9780596516178)) > by Matz and Flanagan. This must have been a super-secret project as I > can’t find any references to it via Google. > > Looks good, but do I really need another RUby book? 9^) > > Cheers Looks like a ground-up approach going over most of the language. I can see that it’d complement a tutorial approach like the Pickaxe by providing a little more detail over each component of Ruby. From the previews, the writing looks pretty straightfoward, though it’d be nice to see a little more from matz on the reasoning behind design choices. ---
**Author:** ![bigdaddy71](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@bigdaddy71](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bigdaddy71)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/the-ruby-programming-language/127602/3 "2008-01-30T21:10:37Z")
Jesse E. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) spewed forth with: > > > > Looks like a ground-up approach going over most of the language. I can > see that it’d complement a tutorial approach like the Pickaxe by > providing a little more detail over each component of Ruby. From the > previews, the writing looks pretty straightfoward, though it’d be nice > to see a little more from matz on the reasoning behind design choices. Apparently, it is what would have been the second edition of “Ruby In A Nutshell,” but I guess with adding authors, they decided to rename it. From the preface (by David Flanagan): This book is an updated and expanded version of Ruby in a Nutshell by Yukihiro M. (who is better known as Matz). It is loosely modeled after the classic The C Programming Language by Kernighan and Ritchie and aims to document the Ruby language comprehensively but without the formality of a language specification. It is written for experienced programmers who are new to Ruby, and for current Ruby programmers who want to take their understanding and mastery of the language to the next level. ---
**Author:** ![bigdaddy71](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@bigdaddy71](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bigdaddy71)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/the-ruby-programming-language/127602/4 "2008-02-01T19:10:46Z")
On Jan 30, 9:44 am, Chris H. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Just got note from O’Reilly about The Ruby P.ming Language > ([The Ruby Programming Language [Book]](http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9780596516178)) > by Matz and Flanagan. This must have been a super-secret project as I > can’t find any references to it via Google. > > Looks good, but do I really need another RUby book? 9^) > > Cheers Chris, We kept it secret until November 2007 or so. Then I posted about it on my blog and mentioned it on the ruby-core list. You may not need another Ruby book, but this one is quite different than the others out there–it is really focused on the language itself and explains it in depth. Also, it is the first book out to cover the language changes in Ruby 1.9. My theory in writing this book is explained well in O’Reilly’s press release (which may be what O’Reilly sent to you): > “Our book documents the language in depth,” says Flanagan, “and my > hope is that it will help programmers (even those who already program > with Ruby) to really master the language and sharpen their Ruby > programming skills.” ``` David Flanagan ``` ---
**Author:** ![bigdaddy71](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@bigdaddy71](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bigdaddy71)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/the-ruby-programming-language/127602/5 "2008-02-01T19:15:29Z")
On Jan 30, 12:09 pm, removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid wrote: > Apparently, it is what would have been the second edition of “Ruby In > A Nutshell,” but I guess with adding authors, they decided to rename it. Paul, It wasn’t the change of authors that prompted the change of title. We changed the title when I realized that the book had evolved into something more than a quick-reference. This book doesn’t really fit the “Nutshell” mold. It is more like my JavaScript: The Definitive Guide. ``` David Flanagan ```