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Re: Just a question to throw out there...

Tim Pease

11/2/2006 6:50:00 PM

On 11/2/06, Skotty <shyguyfrenzy@gmail.com> wrote:
> Another noobrube question.
>
> Is this the "easiest" language to learn? I'm well aware that none of these programming languages are "easy" but I've been struggling with this for a while and don't want to give up.
>
> Or is there something else I should know first BEFORE going to Ruby? Why's guide is a biggggg help but I don't know why I can't retain this information.
>
> Any help guides?
> Anything?

How much programming experience do you have? If you have never done
any programming whatsoever, then diving straight into Ruby and _why's
guide is probably not the best way to go.

Go to your local library and grab the first volume of Knuth's "The Art
of Computer Programming". Read and understand this book -- it will
give you a fantastic foundation for any language that you pick up.

Persevere and good luck!

TwP
7 Answers

Skotty

11/2/2006 6:56:00 PM

0

This is indeed my "first" dive into programming, with little unsuccessful
dabs here and there (a couple days or so of trying and then quitting) with a
couple other languages than ruby.

But I never stick with it, and I'd love to learn something. Maybe I'll head
down to the library and check that out, it couldn't hurt I guess. For now
I'll continue with my "hello world" screens.

thanks
skt
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Pease" <tim.pease@gmail.com>
To: "ruby-talk ML" <ruby-talk@ruby-lang.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2006 10:49 AM
Subject: Re: Just a question to throw out there...


> On 11/2/06, Skotty <shyguyfrenzy@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Another noobrube question.
>>
>> Is this the "easiest" language to learn? I'm well aware that none of
>> these programming languages are "easy" but I've been struggling with this
>> for a while and don't want to give up.
>>
>> Or is there something else I should know first BEFORE going to Ruby?
>> Why's guide is a biggggg help but I don't know why I can't retain this
>> information.
>>
>> Any help guides?
>> Anything?
>
> How much programming experience do you have? If you have never done
> any programming whatsoever, then diving straight into Ruby and _why's
> guide is probably not the best way to go.
>
> Go to your local library and grab the first volume of Knuth's "The Art
> of Computer Programming". Read and understand this book -- it will
> give you a fantastic foundation for any language that you pick up.
>
> Persevere and good luck!
>
> TwP
>


Morton Goldberg

11/2/2006 7:22:00 PM

0

On Nov 2, 2006, at 1:49 PM, Tim Pease wrote:

> Go to your local library and grab the first volume of Knuth's "The Art
> of Computer Programming". Read and understand this book -- it will
> give you a fantastic foundation for any language that you pick up.

IMO not good advice for someone new. There's a good chance that a
beginner, who is told he/she must "read and understand" Knuth to
become a programmer, will walk away from programming forever after
picking up this book. It's a great book, but not for beginners. Did
you read and comprehend Knuth _before_ you got your first program up
and running? Did you master MIX assembly language as your first
programming language?

I think the Chris Pine book is a far better recommendation.

http://pine.fm/Learn...

> Persevere and good luck!

Now that's good advice.

Regards, Morton

James Gray

11/2/2006 7:37:00 PM

0

On Nov 2, 2006, at 12:49 PM, Tim Pease wrote:

> Go to your local library and grab the first volume of Knuth's "The Art
> of Computer Programming". Read and understand this book -- it will
> give you a fantastic foundation for any language that you pick up.

Wow. I respect that book a lot Tim, but start there? I must be a
wimp because that book still intimidates me today! ;)

James Edward Gray II

Tim Pease

11/2/2006 8:39:00 PM

0

On 11/2/06, James Edward Gray II <james@grayproductions.net> wrote:
> On Nov 2, 2006, at 12:49 PM, Tim Pease wrote:
>
> > Go to your local library and grab the first volume of Knuth's "The Art
> > of Computer Programming". Read and understand this book -- it will
> > give you a fantastic foundation for any language that you pick up.
>
> Wow. I respect that book a lot Tim, but start there? I must be a
> wimp because that book still intimidates me today! ;)
>

I'll be honest, it has been a long time since I've opened up Knuth and
actually read the thing. In a true political move, I'll reverse my
stance and be accused of being a waffler :) Don't start with Knuth!

What helped me most in learning to program was a good course on data
structures and algorithms followed by a course in Object Oriented
programming and design.

Skotty, have you looked into any entry level programming courses at
your local college? If you cannot attend one of these courses, at
least take a look at their book list.

I learned programming as a kid with Logo and its turtle graphics. It
is a programming language that makes very clear James' earlier post
about computers being stupid. It taught me the basics of loops,
control structures, and the coolness of drawing the transformers logo.

Now I'm rambling.

TwP

James Gray

11/2/2006 9:20:00 PM

0

On Nov 2, 2006, at 2:39 PM, Tim Pease wrote:

> On 11/2/06, James Edward Gray II <james@grayproductions.net> wrote:
>> On Nov 2, 2006, at 12:49 PM, Tim Pease wrote:
>>
>> > Go to your local library and grab the first volume of Knuth's
>> "The Art
>> > of Computer Programming". Read and understand this book -- it will
>> > give you a fantastic foundation for any language that you pick up.
>>
>> Wow. I respect that book a lot Tim, but start there? I must be a
>> wimp because that book still intimidates me today! ;)
>>
>
> I'll be honest, it has been a long time since I've opened up Knuth and
> actually read the thing. In a true political move, I'll reverse my
> stance and be accused of being a waffler :) Don't start with Knuth!

<dies laughing>

> I learned programming as a kid with Logo and its turtle graphics.

Me too. I've thought of doing a subset of a Logo implementation as a
Ruby Quiz. It's not too tough and pretty darn fun.

James Edward Gray II

Morton Goldberg

11/2/2006 11:10:00 PM

0

On Nov 2, 2006, at 4:20 PM, James Edward Gray II wrote:

> On Nov 2, 2006, at 2:39 PM, Tim Pease wrote:
>
>> I learned programming as a kid with Logo and its turtle graphics.
>
> Me too. I've thought of doing a subset of a Logo implementation as
> a Ruby Quiz. It's not too tough and pretty darn fun.

Yes, Ruby makes implementing turtle graphics both easy and fun. It
just so happens that I started working on a Ruby/Tk turtle graphics
package today.

I think it would make a great quiz, but I also think it would violate
your less-than-two-hour-to-implement rule. Although it involves
nothing difficult, there are lots of details to be attended to.
Maybe, it's just because I'm slow, but I expect I'll have four or
five hours in it before my turtle draws it first square on a Tk canvas.

Regards, Morton

James Gray

11/2/2006 11:18:00 PM

0

On Nov 2, 2006, at 5:09 PM, Morton Goldberg wrote:

> I think it would make a great quiz, but I also think it would
> violate your less-than-two-hour-to-implement rule.

Well we could always do it as a multi-part quiz. I was also
referring to a *very* small subset.

James Edward Gray II