Some links for learning Ruby &&|| Rails from scratch
A few people have been asking me for some direction on starting to learn Ruby or programming in general, so I've compiled some links to get started.
Ruby:
Why's (Poignant) Guide to Ruby
Programming Ruby (online book) this is good to own for reference too
Rails:
(the framework for creating web applications in Ruby)
Installing locally (along with RubyGems)
Setting up your development environment on OS X 10.5
Creating a weblog in 15 minutes with Rails 2 (this links to a .mov)
Lots of screencasts on different rails topics
News:
In general, I've always said the best way to tackle a new programming language or framework is to have a very clearly defined goal you're working towards. Something that has been eating away at your soul and has to be conquered -- the LESS you can live without figuring it out, the better. So get ready to pull some hair out and scream some WTF!?'s at your computer like a maniac (if you didn't already do so) on your way to figuring this all out. But trust me it's worth it!
Good luck all!