Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to program computers, but couldn’t find a book that made sense. Maybe you’re already a programmer, and you’d like to fill in the gaps or help your spouse or partner see what you do. Or, perhaps you’d like to get your child started.

This is the book for you. Using Ruby, you’ll learn to program with no previous experience, create your own utilities and applications, take control of your computer, and build a foundation to understand large, professional applications

Learn to Program
Errata • Discussions
176 pages, Jan 2006
ISBN: 978-0-9766940-4-5

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About this Book

Computers are everywhere, on every desk, in your iPod, cell phone, and PDA. To live well in the 21st century, you need to know how to make computers do things. And to really make computers do what you want, you have to learn to program. Watch the movie for
Learn to Program

Fortunately, that’s easier now than ever before. Chris Pine’s book will teach you how to program. You’ll learn to use your computer better, to get it to do what you want it to do. Starting with small, simple one-line programs to calculate your age in seconds, you’ll see how to advance to fully structured, real programs. You’ll learn the same technology used to drive modern dynamic websites and large, professional applications.

It’s now easier to learn to write your own computer software than it has ever been before. Now everyone can learn to write programs for themselves—-no previous experience is necessary. Chris takes a thorough, but light-hearted approach that teaches you how to program with a minimum of fuss or bother.

Contents and Extracts

  • CONTENTS (view)
  • Introduction (read chapter)
  • Getting Started
  • Numbers (read chapter)
  • Letters
  • Variables and Assignment
  • Mixing It Up
  • More about Methods (read extract)
  • Flow Control
  • Arrays and Iterators
  • Writing Your Own Methods
  • There’s Nothing New to Learn in Chapter 10
  • Reading and Writing, Saving and Loading, Yin and… (read extract)
  • New Classes of Objects
  • Creating New Classes, Changing Existing Ones
  • Blocks and Procs
  • Beyond This Fine Book

About the Author

Chris Pine first discovered the programming language Ruby in early 2001 and immediately began using it to build tools for his day job: programming computer games. After hours, he volunteered with gifted children teaching them advanced mathematics. With Ruby, he began to teach his students programming as well. Once he saw how easily his students learned advanced programming concepts in this environment, he decided to expand his teaching materials into a book.

Chris enjoys board games and juggling, and lives with his darling wife and two darling children in darling Oslo, Norway. He is very happy.