From: Dave Aronson <rubytalk2dave@...>
Date: 2011-10-17T04:14:46+09:00
Subject: Re: Beginning

On Fri, Oct 14, 2011 at 08:29, Junayeed Ahnaf Nirjhor
<zombiegenerator@aol.com> wrote:

> I am an absolute beginner of programming but I have extensive knowledge on
> computer architecture and systems. I also am a designer. I am somehow
> attached to Ruby and I don't know why, but it made me fall in love at the
> first sight (I tried C first back on 2009 but didn't really like it).

Do you mean you tried C as your first programming language?  Oh you
poor thing!  I learned C after a solid foundation in BASIC and Pascal,
and it still confused me mightily at first.  Now that I've done it for
about 25 years, I'm very comfortable with it -- but still wouldn't
inflict it on a newbie.  Ruby is VASTLY more legible, has far fewer
gotchas waiting to trip you up, and has many more useful things built
right in.  C is excellent for some things, like kernel, embedded,
device-driver, and hard-real-time programming... but not for learning
to program.

> what is the best way for an absolute beginner to learn ruby
> that you think?

I think you've found it already, between what you listed and what
others have told you.  There are many excellent Ruby tutorials out
there.  Now you're diving into the community.  That's actually one of
the greatest things about Ruby, the welcoming and supportive
community.  In addition to these mailing lists, there is probably a
Meetup or other such RUG in your area.

Of course, practice is what makes perfect.  Pick a project that you
want to do in Ruby.  Or if you want to take small steps, check out
http://rubykoans.com/ or Google for "code katas".  In the latter case,
you can check out my solutions to Dave Thomas's katas on my
programming blog at http://codosaur.us/.  I strongly advise you also
Google TDD or "Test Driven Development", to start getting into some
good habits.

> Also, a supplementary question could be, is 19 too late to
> begin programming?

Absolutely not!  I've worked with brilliant programmers who started
later than that.  One of my colleagues a few jobs ago, had had a
successful career as a pig farmer until he wanted to impress his
girlfriend by taking a COBOL class at the local Community College, way
back when.

Welcome aboard the Ruby yacht!

-Dave

-- 
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