"Programming language tutorials shouldn't be about leaning languages. They should be about something interesting, and you learn the language in the process." -

"Programming language tutorials shouldn't be about leaning languages. They should be about something interesting, and you learn the language in the process." -- I'd say this is the approach Michael Hartl has taken with Railstutorial.org. Learning the language is important, but it seems to me that, having been through this tutorial and his previous "RailsSpace," the most important stuff I've learned is how a programmer thinks. Programming language tutorials shouldn't be about leaning languages. They should be about something interesting, and you learn the language in the process. Re-Factoring. Test Driven Development. Version control. Needless to say, if you know anyone with zero programming experience who wants to get up to speed quickly on web development, so he or she will know what you're talking about, what's possible, and what's not, I highly recommend Hartl's work. -- Fred