From: Hal Fulton <hal9000@...>
Date: 2004-01-05T04:38:38+09:00
Subject: Re: Ruby explained to Python programmers

David Garamond wrote:
> I find the said document very helpful, as well as the "From Perl To 
> Ruby" section, as I dabble in these three languages. Very recommended 
> reading for Perl/Python programmers.
> 
> BTW, the "What's New In Ruby 1.8" part needs quite serious updating 
> though. Specifically, it doesn't mention important modules like YAML and 
> Ruby/DL, both of which are a god-send for me.

Yes, much of it is out of date. This book was started late in 2000,
and finished in the fall of 2001. It doesn't mention REXML or any
number of other things.

> I wonder if there is a plan for a 2nd edition of The Ruby Way.

There is some discussion of it. But the publisher has this
silly idea of wanting to make money rather than making
altruistic contributions to the computing community.

Seriously, Ruby is not immensely popular yet, and thus has not
been lucrative for the publishers (or authors). This may
change -- indeed we're all counting on Ruby to get popular,
aren't we?

There's also the question of whether a second edition should
be timed with 1.9 or with 2.0. I think I can see advantages
and disadvantages both ways.


Hal