From: Hilary Bailey <my77elephants@...>
Date: 2011-02-11T10:41:49+09:00
Subject: Re: Totally lost in learning Ruby

So Mike,
Since a database seems to be the bulk on the creation of a my intended 
Ed web application/software, should I consider the SQLs or just use the 
LibreOffice Base along with its Spreadsheet, and then use further 
analysis from the OpenSource statistical program PSPP to integrate 
aspects of a)data entry b)other operational skills that (I think) many 
not be offered Base, and then c)further statistical crunching?

Therefore, is it possible to use available OpenSource softwares to piece 
together a web application/software? I know that I have to acquaint 
myself with Base and the others, but should I design around the SQLs or 
Base? Also, just in case anyone reading along or would like to provide 
their expertise, I am not afraid of "getting my hands dirty" while 
learning. So I prefer going the properly logically sensible way, without 
having to reinvent the wheel.So please, I will greatly appreciate ANY 
AND MANY more comments as they have certainly help clarify a lot of 
questions regarding programming.

Mike Stephens wrote in post #980543:
> Robert Klemme wrote in post #980520:
>> I consider it an interesting question (although completely off topic
>> here) whether all these aggregated figures can give clear information
>> which school works good and which works bad.
>
> I agree the propostion is somewhat spurious. We in the UK have a lot of
> this target/metrics-orientation and it naturally leads to distortion,
> obfuscation, lies and game-playing. The idea that people would reliably
> self-report on items of major importance to their school's, or their own
> personal future standing and funding, is perhaps naive.
>
> The overall topic however is valid because it touches upon the issue of
> how Ruby (or other alternatives) fit in to the World of a non-IT
> professional building relatively straight-forward applications.
>
> If you are a Ruby expert, you could knock up something like this in a
> morning, based on a 15-20 minute chat. If you are new to programming,
> it's a task that may take months or more.
>
> Personally, I think Ruby (or Rails) is like the latest Airbus airliner.
> It has all sorts of fantastic features to make it dead easy to do
> difficult things in bad weather at bad airports, but you have to be a
> trained pilot before you set foot in the simulator.
>
> It's odd that we can't agree what other platform should be recommended
> in these circumstances.

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