From: Phlip <phlip2005@...>
Date: 2007-09-08T13:11:06+09:00
Subject: Re: new to ruby

Shawn Tate wrote:

> I would like to learn ROR. Do I have to start with Ruby first and then
> go into ROR? I am not a programmer. But, I have some knowledge of C++
> but not a whole lot. Thanks.

Yes, Ruby is a language and Rails is a platform; learning a little Ruby 
first will go a long way towards understanding Rails.

This is what books like /Ruby for Rails/ by David Black are for. You can 
also try Ruby's online interactive demo, at:

http://tryruby.hobix.com/

Even better if you have any experience with other programming languages, 
because you will be overjoyed to learn how Ruby flattens the hardest 
problems, that other languages get stuck on. But if you don't that's okay.

You will then see how Rails leverages each of Ruby's many strengths in 
(usually!) just the right way to defeat the nastiest problems in web 
architecture. Rails helps keep the web's nuts and bolts out of your way, so 
you can focus only on your actual web problem.

Also, as soon as possible, learn Rails's unit test system, because it is 
beyond exemplary. Unit tests for web applications are super-hard, and Rails 
makes them easier than most other unit test situations.

-- 
  Phlip
  http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9780596510657/
  "Test Driven Ajax (on Rails)"
  assert_xpath, assert_javascript, & assert_ajax