From: Matt Todd <chiology@...>
Date: 2006-08-05T05:01:58+09:00
Subject: Re: Learning with exercises

I'm none too biased (save for my admiration of the Ruby language), but
I'll say that RubyQuizzes are tough. I've just discovered how cool
these quizzes are, and my first nearly-completed quiz was the Chip8
one. But, really, even if you don't actually _do_ those quizzes, the
solutions to them are invaluable, and really very clever. There are
some smart people solving them and you can learn a lot quickly.

I, too, am on the starving college budget, so I know how you feel.
Really, the best way is to jump right in and start building stuff. If
you've got a big idea, then go for it: you can break that big idea
into smaller chunks and build up from there! That's what I've been
doing.

Also, read a lot of code from other people. I regularly read a number
of blogs that show their code and what it actually does and this has
helped me tremendously. Do stuff that stretches your mind and your way
of thinking. Read _Why The Lucky Stiff's Poignant Guide to Ruby and
his blog as well. He's got some trippy code that will mess you up, but
it's good because it reframes your mind into the right mindset, and
it'll make you comfortable with the less strange pieces of his code.

On this note, maybe we can have a RubyQuiz for beginners? (Or at least
a rating system for difficulty, etc.)

Cheers!

M.T.