# \[ANN\] Why's (Poignant) Guide to Ruby, Chapters 1 to 3

**URL:** <https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208>\
**Category:** ruby-talk\
**Created:** [17 February 2004 19:58 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208 "2004-02-17T19:58:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![why\_the\_lucky\_stiff1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/898d66/32.png) [@why\_the\_lucky\_stiff1](https://rubytalk.org/u/why_the_lucky_stiff1)\
**Post date:** [17 February 2004 19:58 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/1 "2004-02-17T19:58:00Z")

</div>

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/](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](http://whytheluckystiff.net/arch/2003/11/17)  
[2] [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0/](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0/)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Paul\_Vudmaska](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c2a13f/32.png) [@Paul\_Vudmaska](https://rubytalk.org/u/Paul_Vudmaska)\
**Post date:** [17 February 2004 20:21 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/2 "2004-02-17T20:21:09Z")

</div>

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/](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](http://whytheluckystiff.net/arch/2003/11/17)  
> [2] [CC BY-SA 1.0 Deed | Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 Generic | Creative Commons](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

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Laurent\_Julliard4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Laurent\_Julliard4](https://rubytalk.org/u/Laurent_Julliard4)\
**Post date:** [17 February 2004 21:04 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/3 "2004-02-17T21:04:55Z")

</div>

I love this.  
I repeat:  
I love this.  
too bad I can’t give it to my little cousin that does not speak  
english 😉

BTW, you should put links for this on internet newssite. That is  
something like ‘The little prince reads SICP’. geeks will scream at  
you.

> **···**
>
> il Wed, 18 Feb 2004 04:58:00 +0900, why the lucky stiff [ruby-talk@whytheluckystiff.net](mailto:ruby-talk@whytheluckystiff.net) ha scritto::
> 
> > Greetings. Man, I’m giddy about this announcement. My blood is visibly  
> > pulsing.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jamis\_Buck4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@Jamis\_Buck4](https://rubytalk.org/u/Jamis_Buck4)\
**Post date:** [17 February 2004 21:40 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/4 "2004-02-17T21:40:03Z")

</div>

why the lucky stiff wrote:

> Greetings. Man, I’m giddy about this announcement. My blood is  
> visibly pulsing.

Okay. That is seriously the funnest thing I’ve read in a long time.  
Thank-you!

A few minor typos I noted:

Chapter 2, Part 2, near the end:  
“cel phone”  
“whose to say” (should be “who’s to say”)

Chapter 3, discussion on blocks:  
“shoot” should be “chute”

Thanks again!

- Jamis

> **···**
>
> –  
> Jamis Buck  
> jgb3@email.byu.edu  
> [http://www.jamisbuck.org/blog/jamis.cgi](http://www.jamisbuck.org/blog/jamis.cgi)
> 
> ruby -h | ruby -e ‘a=;readlines.join.scan(/-(.)[e|Kk(\S\*)|le.l(…)e|#!(\S\*)/) {|r| a \<\< r.compact.first };puts “\n\>#{a.join(%q/ /)}\<\n\n”’

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dick\_Davies1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dick\_Davies1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Dick_Davies1)\
**Post date:** [18 February 2004 01:26 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/5 "2004-02-18T01:26:31Z")

</div>

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.

Beautiful, cheers.  
I’ll print it out in pamphlet form if I may and take a soapbox full to  
Queen Street tomorrow afternoon.

Incidentally, even Google doesnt know who Smotchkkiss is. Congratulations!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ptkwt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f14d63/32.png) [@Ptkwt](https://rubytalk.org/u/Ptkwt)\
**Post date:** [18 February 2004 04:14 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/6 "2004-02-18T04:14:55Z")

</div>

In article [40327236.9000301@whytheluckystiff.net](mailto:40327236.9000301@whytheluckystiff.net),

> 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/](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!

Noooo… we’re all doing that low-carb diet thing. No _starch_!

Why, your missive is a postmodern literary tour de force. I couldn’t put  
it down (now my arms hurt from holding the monitor that long).

Do you think you could come speak to our writer’s club? Some of us even  
don our fox suits and pretend to be Ruby programmers.

Are you sure you’re from Utah? Your book has such a Portland  
zine-scene flavor to it. Don’t lose your roadmap.

Phil

> **···**
>
> why the lucky stiff [ruby-talk@whytheluckystiff.net](mailto:ruby-talk@whytheluckystiff.net) wrote:

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Karl\_von\_Laudermann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e79b87/32.png) [@Karl\_von\_Laudermann](https://rubytalk.org/u/Karl_von_Laudermann)\
**Post date:** [18 February 2004 14:29 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/7 "2004-02-18T14:29:53Z")

</div>

why the lucky stiff [ruby-talk@whytheluckystiff.net](mailto:ruby-talk@whytheluckystiff.net) wrote in message news:[40327236.9000301@whytheluckystiff.net](mailto:40327236.9000301@whytheluckystiff.net)…

> 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.

Wow… cool stuff. I’m gonna have to make sure I have plenty of chunky  
bacon around while I’m programming in Ruby, from now on.

One request though… the text doesn’t wrap to the width of the  
browser window. The line length is fixed, forcing you to size the  
browser to a certain minimum width if you don’t want to get a  
horizontal scroll bar. It seems a lot of web sites do that these days,  
and it’s a pet peeve of mine. I don’t want to have to make my browser  
wide enough to wallpaper my house just to read the site without  
horizontal scrolling. 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sean\_O\_Dell1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sean\_O\_Dell1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Sean_O_Dell1)\
**Post date:** [18 February 2004 19:04 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/8 "2004-02-18T19:04:17Z")

</div>

Congratulations \_why, you just made the Slashdot front page!

```
Sean O'Dell

```

> **···**
>
> On Tuesday 17 February 2004 11:58 am, 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/](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](http://whytheluckystiff.net/arch/2003/11/17)  
> > [2] [CC BY-SA 1.0 Deed | Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 Generic | Creative Commons](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0/)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tim\_Hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@Tim\_Hunter](https://rubytalk.org/u/Tim_Hunter)\
**Post date:** [18 February 2004 23:19 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/9 "2004-02-18T23:19:52Z")

</div>

Before I read this book I could never remember the difference between “…”  
and “…”. Now I’ll never forget.

Bravo! Inside my head it sounds like a standing ovation.

> **···**
>
> On Wed, 18 Feb 2004 04:58:00 +0900, why the lucky stiff wrote:
> 
> > Greetings. Man, I’m giddy about this announcement. My blood is visibly  
> > pulsing.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Alexander\_Kellett2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@Alexander\_Kellett2](https://rubytalk.org/u/Alexander_Kellett2)\
**Post date:** [17 February 2004 21:26 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/10 "2004-02-17T21:26:05Z")

</div>

how about translations? 🙂

my dutch really does suck but i’d just love to get my  
cousins speaking ruby as i’m pretty fluent in that 🙂

ciao,  
Alex

> **···**
>
> On Tuesday 17 February 2004 22:04, gabriele renzi wrote:
> 
> > I love this.  
> > I repeat:  
> > I love this.  
> > too bad I can’t give it to my little cousin that does not speak  
> > english 😉
> 
> –  
> Sometimes when you look into his eyes you get the feeling that someone  
> else is driving.  
> – David Letterman

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kent\_Dahl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Kent\_Dahl](https://rubytalk.org/u/Kent_Dahl)\
**Post date:** [17 February 2004 21:59 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/11 "2004-02-17T21:59:55Z")

</div>

gabriele renzi wrote:

> too bad I can’t give it to my little cousin that does not speak  
> english 😉

…chapter three and going strong, I’ve got to say I think that is a  
_good_ thing. I’m getting the feeling this should come with a PG-rating,  
and be kept safe out of the reach of wee 'uns, the easily agitated and  
politicians.

And that’s just the sidebars 🙂

> **···**
>
> –  
> ([Kent Dahl]/)\_ _~__**[[http://www.pvv.org/~kentda/](http://www.pvv.org/~kentda/) ]**_/~  
> ))\_student\_/(( \__d L b_\_/ Master of Science in Technology )  
> ( \__\_õ|õ_/**/ ) _) Industrial economics and technology management (  
> \__**/_ö_\_\_\_\_/ (\_**_engineering.discipline_=_Computer::Technology_**)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gavin\_Sinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gavin\_Sinclair](https://rubytalk.org/u/Gavin_Sinclair)\
**Post date:** [17 February 2004 22:02 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/12 "2004-02-17T22:02:37Z")

</div>

While we’re on it: “wierd” appears in a cartoon. (Heh, grep _that_!)

Gavin

> **···**
>
> On Wednesday, February 18, 2004, 8:40:03 AM, Jamis wrote:
> 
> > why the lucky stiff wrote:
> 
> > > Greetings. Man, I’m giddy about this announcement. My blood is  
> > > visibly pulsing.
> 
> > Okay. That is seriously the funnest thing I’ve read in a long time.  
> > Thank-you!
> 
> > A few minor typos I noted:

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![why\_the\_lucky\_stiff1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/898d66/32.png) [@why\_the\_lucky\_stiff1](https://rubytalk.org/u/why_the_lucky_stiff1)\
**Post date:** [17 February 2004 22:13 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/13 "2004-02-17T22:13:02Z")

</div>

Jamis Buck wrote:

> A few minor typos I noted:
> 
> Chapter 2, Part 2, near the end:  
> “cel phone”  
> “whose to say” (should be “who’s to say”)
> 
> Chapter 3, discussion on blocks:  
> “shoot” should be “chute”

Good eye. All repaired. Be sure to join the mailing list when it  
enters existence.

_starch_

\_why

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dick\_Davies1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dick\_Davies1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Dick_Davies1)\
**Post date:** [18 February 2004 01:35 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/14 "2004-02-18T01:35:17Z")

</div>

Rasputin wrote:

> Incidentally, even Google doesnt know who Smotchkkiss is. Congratulations!

One other thing, this:

require ‘net/http’  
Net::HTTP.start( ‘[www.ruby-lang.org](http://www.ruby-lang.org)’, 80 ) do |http|  
print( http.get( ‘/index.html’ ).body )  
end

gives a 404 - how about /en/index.html (ha, internationalize _that_!) ?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gavin\_Kistner2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gavin\_Kistner2](https://rubytalk.org/u/Gavin_Kistner2)\
**Post date:** [18 February 2004 14:43 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/15 "2004-02-18T14:43:14Z")

</div>

Why, if you are set against a scalable design (sometimes users need to  
be saved from themselves by setting type with an optimal line-length)  
may I suggest specifying the width of the content be specified in ‘em’  
rather than ‘px’?

This way the column width is locked to the current font size (allowing  
you to control a reasonable line-length), which can be scaled by the  
user.

And even more off-topic…tables for layout?  
May I suggest my (currently-seeking-a-proper-home-on-my-site):  
[http://phrogz.net/tmp/HowToDevelopWithCSS.html](http://phrogz.net/tmp/HowToDevelopWithCSS.html)

> **···**
>
> On Feb 18, 2004, at 7:29 AM, Karl von Laudermann wrote:
> 
> > One request though… the text doesn’t wrap to the width of the  
> > browser window. The line length is fixed, forcing you to size the  
> > browser to a certain minimum width if you don’t want to get a  
> > horizontal scroll bar.
> 
> –  
> (-, /\ / / //

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Simon\_Strandgaard1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Simon\_Strandgaard1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Simon_Strandgaard1)\
**Post date:** [18 February 2004 19:34 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/16 "2004-02-18T19:34:53Z")

</div>

follow this URL:

> **[Why's (Poignant) Guide to Ruby - Slashdot](https://developers.slashdot.org/story/04/02/18/168235/whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby)**
>
> Colonel Panic writes "Why the lucky stiff has written one of the most unusual (and poignant) books about programming that I've ever encountered. The best description for it so far (seen on comp.lang.ruby) is that it's sort of like 'The Little...

Congratulations too.

> **···**
>
> On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 04:04:17 +0900, Sean O’Dell wrote:
> 
> > Congratulations \_why, you just made the Slashdot front page!
> 
> –  
> Simon Strandgaard

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**Author:** ![why\_the\_lucky\_stiff1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/898d66/32.png) [@why\_the\_lucky\_stiff1](https://rubytalk.org/u/why_the_lucky_stiff1)\
**Post date:** [18 February 2004 20:41 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/17 "2004-02-18T20:41:05Z")

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Sean O’Dell wrote:

> Congratulations \_why, you just made the Slashdot front page!

Wonderful. Can’t wait for the ensuing Python v. Ruby flamewar to start  
up in the comments.

\_why

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![why\_the\_lucky\_stiff1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/898d66/32.png) [@why\_the\_lucky\_stiff1](https://rubytalk.org/u/why_the_lucky_stiff1)\
**Post date:** [17 February 2004 22:06 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/18 "2004-02-17T22:06:48Z")

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Alexander Kellett wrote:

> > I love this.  
> > I repeat:  
> > I love this.  
> > too bad I can’t give it to my little cousin that does not speak  
> > english 😉
> 
> how about translations? 🙂
> 
> my dutch really does suck but i’d just love to get my  
> cousins speaking ruby as i’m pretty fluent in that 🙂

Calm down. I want to help everyone’s cousins. Let’s see what we can do.

I have not an whim of idea as to how we could get this book translated.  
Especially considering that I am constantly revising and rephrasing. In  
addition, I intend to change flow based on audience reaction. I fear  
that embarking on translation too soon will either (a) inhibit the  
flexibility of revisions or (b) drive the translators to harpoon  
theyselves, leaving behind them a smattering of ancient (poignant)  
translations. Yeh?

I _starch_ you! (And we’ll make it through this together.)

\_why

> **···**
>
> > On Tuesday 17 February 2004 22:04, gabriele renzi wrote:

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**Author:** ![why\_the\_lucky\_stiff1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/898d66/32.png) [@why\_the\_lucky\_stiff1](https://rubytalk.org/u/why_the_lucky_stiff1)\
**Post date:** [17 February 2004 22:25 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/19 "2004-02-17T22:25:25Z")

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Kent Dahl wrote:

> …chapter three and going strong, I’ve got to say I think that is a  
> _good_ thing. I’m getting the feeling this should come with a  
> PG-rating, and be kept safe out of the reach of wee 'uns, the easily  
> agitated and politicians.

Not to worry. The “clean” version is in the works and (fingers crossed)  
will likely come with a plush toy fox.

Thanks. (_starch_)

\_why

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**Author:** ![Peter3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/958977/32.png) [@Peter3](https://rubytalk.org/u/Peter3)\
**Post date:** [17 February 2004 22:48 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ann-whys-poignant-guide-to-ruby-chapters-1-to-3/10208/20 "2004-02-17T22:48:49Z")

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> While we’re on it: “wierd” appears in a cartoon. (Heh, grep _that_!)

There’s also an “intellegently” in chapter 2, part 3.  
^  
Peter

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