From: Timothy Hunter <TimHunter@...>
Date: 2007-02-06T10:20:40+09:00
Subject: Re: Ruby Newbie Advice.

Samantha wrote:
> Hello all.
>
> I've decided after about a week or so of being on the list to come out
> of hiding and ask a couple of questions.  My email addy of
> rubygeekgirl is not a reality, but more of an aspiration.  :)
>
> Real quick background on my knowledge and skill level -- I played
> around with BASIC on my Commodore VIC 20 at the age of 8 (which was 22
> years ago).  A couple of years ago I started to try and learn Python.
> Fast-forward to Fall of 2006, I decided to try and pick it up again.
> In addition, I also decided to go back to college and my first class
> this last semester was Programming Logic and Design.  The course was
> pretty much about logic (imagine that) and we covered loops and mostly
> procedural programming, print charts, arrays, and that's pretty much
> it.  Anyway, as I started to look at Python again, I happened to
> discover Ruby.  I spent about a month deciding on whether I wanted to
> learn Ruby or Python, and as I looked at what was available, I felt
> more at ease in Ruby.  I read a few tutorials, went out and bought the
> PickAxe about four months ago, and did my best to get through it.  I
> think a lot of it is a bit over my head.  I also looked at the Pine
> online book and the Why's Poignant guide, in addition to the Little
> Book of Ruby and a couple of other resources.
>
> Okay, enough of THAT.  I'm now at the point where I feel like I'm
> reading the same thing over and over and over again.  I'm not the most
> patient person and I want to start coding something.  I've already
> made some small interactive 'kiddie' command line programs and the
> such, but I'm getting bored.  I just don't know where or what or HOW
> to start.
>
> I'm starting to look at code snippets over at Ruby Forge... I also
> just got laid off a few weeks ago, so money is tight, otherwise, I'd
> go out and buy The Ruby Way, which I perused at Barnes and Noble last
> week and fell in love with.
>
> So, I ask you, the gurus... Where do I start?  This feels like a
> writer's block and I'm sick of reading.  I want to start *doing*
>
> I have the IDEs installed, I have Ruby installed on my Gentoo Linux
> box...
>
> I'm sick of writing things asking for the user's name and if they want
> to try a chocolate chip cookie. :)
>
> Thanks so much in advance.  I apologize for my verbosity.
>
> Samantha
>
> http://www.babygeek.org/
>
>
>   
Welcome to Ruby!

If you like solving puzzles, why don't you try some of the quizzes at 
http://www.rubyquiz.com? There are easy quizzes and hard ones, and 
probably at least one that's at a level you'll feel comfortable with.

However, I learn best when I pick my own problem to solve. If you're 
like me, think of some problem you have that can be solved by a Ruby 
script. Some bit of system administration that you need done, for 
example. Then start coding. It doesn't matter if you can't figure out 
how to do it at first. Attack the bits  you can do, then work on the 
rest a piece at a time. Search this list for advice, read The Ruby Way 
and The Ruby Cookbook, and post questions here.

Good luck!