From: Chris Pine <glyconis@...>
Date: 2005-04-16T03:24:40+09:00
Subject: Re: ettiquette question

OK...

The general feel seems to be that people think it is sort of a good
idea, as long as it includes other resources, or maybe should just be
part of the FAQ.

Not to disparage Hal or the FAQ in any way, but I'm not sure the FAQ
is really something newbies read.  Well, I never read it, anyway.  I
mean, I did, once upon a time, but that was only after I was into
Ruby.  (Is a non-rubyist really going to care who matz is, for
example?)

I'm not so much saying "I want to tell everyone about my site every
other week" as "empirical evidence shows that a simple, personal
reference to the site increases traffic quite a bit, which spreads the
ruby word".  Here's an excerpt from last night, for example:

  "I think I've learned more in 1 night reading your tutorial on
   Ruby than I learned in weeks of trying to learn VB5."

(This obviously speaks more to the glory of Ruby than my tutorial, of course!)

And I only get these emails after a post to the ML.  Also, I think the
*personal* invitation is key, here, because we are speaking to people
*outside* the community, so we need to do the reaching.

How about this:  A bi-weekly announcement (separate from the FAQ,
which is, I think, for a different audience) inviting people to Ruby,
and offering to personally help them on their way.  (Probably
something along the lines of "If you need any help, feel free to email
me, or just post your questions here!  The people on this list have
always helped me when I get stuck; they're a great bunch.")  I'll
follow that with three short links (tentatively in this order):

1.  my tutorial, if you are not a programmer already, or just want a
gentle introduction

2.  the Poignant Guide, which captures, better than anything, the fun
and the joy of Ruby

3.  the online Pickaxe (probably why's version, if he don't mind),
sort of the Ruby Bible, perhaps with a reference to the fact that
there is a 2.0

This seems to accomplish something pretty different from what's out
there now, and different from simply including some links in more
permanent places.  It's timely, it's personal... it just sort of feels
happy.  Like Ruby.

:)

So how does this ammended plan sound?

Chris