why the lucky stiff wrote:
> craig duncan wrote:
> 
>> Thanks for the info.  It's a shame the documentation situation is the 
>> way that it is.  In order to get _any_ documentation for the version 
>> i'm running (and coding to), i've got to go buy a (very good, 
>> admittedly) book.  I already bought the first pickaxe book.  Can't i 
>> get an upgrade.  :-)
> 
> 
> Sure.  Send me your copy and I will manually inscribe the updates in 
> black india ink.

That would be a lot of work, though, wouldn't it?  I think it'd make more sense for 
me to buy the online version, send you my copy, and have you inscribe foxes on it.

> Incidentally, there's a knock knock joke in the Ruby world that goes 
> something like this.
> 
>  Knock Knock
>     Who's there?
>  Ruby.
>     Ruby who?
>  Ruby <EUC-JP encoded answer.>

Wish i got it.

> At least there's not an overage of bad information.  And really, it is 
> nice that PickAxeII is all you need to master Ruby itself.
> 
> _why

Yes.  It's an excellent book (hoping the 2nd edition is just as good... no: better 
... than the first).   But on the other hand, just think about this: Many features of 
1.8 (including writing C extensions) are inadequately (or less) documented outside of 
the pickaxe book.

It's wonderful that the book is there.  But what other open-source project is in the 
situation where the only reasonably good and complete documentation is only available 
  by purchasing it.  This is an obstacle that i hope Ruby surmounts in the not too 
distant future... although i don't know how it will happen.

craig