From: Paul Vudmaska <paul@...>
Date: 2004-02-18T05:21:09+09:00
Subject: Re: [ANN] Why's (Poignant) Guide to Ruby, Chapters 1 to 3

why the lucky stiff wrote:

> Greetings.  Man, I'm giddy about this announcement.  My blood is 
> visibly pulsing.
>
> On Nov. 11, 2003, during RubyConf 2003, I kinda mentioned a major 
> project of mine that I believed would "change the Ruby world 
> significantly." [1]  Well, we'll see about that.  Sorry if that was a 
> bit pompous, but I'll let you be the judge of that.
>
> Why's (Poignant) Guide to Ruby is a free, open-source book for anyone 
> wanting to learn Ruby.  I have finished the first three chapters.  You 
> can start reading at http://poignantguide.net/.
>
> This book is not so much a manual.  There will be no reference.  This 
> book is closer to a novel, a comic, or maybe a biography.  Or all 
> three.   Ultimately, I'd like to have a book that could be so 
> accessible that it could be a NYT bestseller.  Of course, I don't ever 
> expect that to happen, but that's how plain I'd like the instruction 
> to be.
>
> Face it.  This is the future.  Kids are going to be programming their 
> skateboards, their GI-Joe tanks, their shoelaces, their oatmeal.  Ruby 
> could easily be that language that the common man can get his hooks 
> into.  This probably isn't the book that will make Ruby become 
> universal, but it's a steppie in that vicinity.
>
> My roadmap has the book finished next summer.  This gives me a couple 
> months for each chapter.  I'd like to release early and often.  The 
> best thing you can do is bug me.  Feedback.  Constant reminders when a 
> new chapter is due.  Bug me to death.  The demand will motivate me.  
> If you don't like the book, tell me why.
>
> I have no intention to print the book.  I have no desire to publish.  
> I am not working on PDF, Palm, TeX, etc. versions of the book.  I am 
> writing the book and I am going to leave those matters for later.
>
> However, I will be setting up a RubyForge project soon.  The 
> YAML/Textile source for the book will be available for any of you to 
> format, print or reuse.  I am releasing it all (graphics included) 
> under the GPL'ish Attribution-ShareAlike [2] license of the Creative 
> Commons.  Cool?
>
> Okay, then.  I *starch* you all!
>
> _why
>
> [1] http://whytheluckystiff.net/arch/2003/11/17
> [2] http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0/


Shoot for the starts why don't you, man! Your giddyness is palpable - 
and i kinda got a kick out of the post. Going over there to read pronto 
because, the other morning i was thinking, could'nt i write a program to 
keep my oatmeal from lumping :O)

Anyway I really do wish you the best and i'll send some feedback for sure.

Paul