[ruby-talk:7680] RE: Ruby as 1st lang.; Newbie mail-list, rubywin question; %w question

> Have others learned Ruby as their first [programming] language?

My little sister is going to learn a little during xmas. Her first
programmin language. BTW, it's her call, not mine :).

While we are on it, I'm leaving the country to travel back home for xmas, so
won't be around here for a while.

Merry Christmas to everone! And happy New year too! It's been a pleasure to
share this "boom year" with you, my first one, and I'm looking forward for
the next.

> Do you think others would be interested in a seperate 
> mail-list for newbies?

I don't think there's any need for that yet, as it would really confuse
people in borderline cases when they're not strictly beginners anymore, but
maybe not so experienced either. I think the synergy works best when we're
all one big family, right here. Umm.. that is when the volume on the list
stays under 100 msgs/day of newbie messages. I can expect there's a day when
more experienced people want to move away, but I also guess that's not going
to happen within few months.

I think the newbies shouldn't shy away even if there's topics they feel too
hard at the moment. I think those moments shall get from regular events to
very special moments, and then suddenly just vanish. I think those moments
are opportunities to learn -- even though maybe not exactly the thingie
under discussion. There should never be reason not to post a question even
if it sounds "stupid". If one browses the archives it could be seen that
many simple questions prove to be very profound.

If I could wish for something around these newbie questions, I would wish
that they're posted more and that they're answered more by the fellow
newbies. Guessing makes both parties learn more, and experienced fellows
will sort things out should the need arise.

I think this has happened to some extent already on ruby-talk for matz. In
the beginning he was responding practically to every mail, but these days he
can concentrate (mostly) to harder pieces, or to simple ones that the
western world just don't have a clue (yet). 

So please, seek (help) and thou shalt find (it). (Also, don't forget to help
when you have opportunity.)

> also works with square brackets [which] seems more consistant 
> with arrays.

Good note. Things could be associated powerfully, as you have noticed. Other
associations along these lines:

  %Q(call "function" Q to return an '#{interpolating}' string)
  %x{eXecute "a system command given as a block"}

It's good to learn, however, that all these associations are just memory aid
and %wxqQr notations can eat anything as a delimiting char, so when you see
someone else not using your favorit notation you won't get confused.

	- Aleksi