(Wandering sorta OT) here's my list of python v ruby

http://blog.ianbicking.org/ruby-python-power.html
http://www.ruby-doc.org/RubyEyeForThePythonGuy.html
http://onestepback.org/index.cgi/Tech/Ruby/PythonAndRuby.rdoc
http://www.approximity.com/ruby/Comparison_rb_st_m_java.html
http://reflectivesurface.com/weblog/2004/12/19/why-rails

look at Amazon's used books.  Ruby way used: $20 (well worth it, it has
a python to ruby appendix)  Cheapest used copies of Pickax2 are only $2
less than new copies.  This speaks well for the value of that book, I
think.

Elf M. Sternberg wrote:
> I'm afraid that I'm coming from Python, a B&D language where I'm used to
> everything be spelled out cleanly, and although I programmed in Perl for
> many years that was also many years ago.  Ruby is baffling the heck out
> of me.
>
> I've been looking at two examples, and I was wondering if someone could
> explain to me what the Hell is going on.  The first is from
> http://redhanded.hobix.com/bits/hyperextended.html, and my question is
> about the 'extend' keyword there.  Where does that came from?  In what
> object is it defined?  It's just hanging there in space.  In the same
> breath, what does the 'super' keyword do in the append_features()
> method, and why does it need a 'self' in front of it?  I've tried
> reading ruby-docs without finding much illumination.
>
> module Mix
>    def inst_meth
>      puts 'inst_meth'
>    end
>
>    module ClassMethods
>      def class_meth
>        puts 'class_meth'
>      end
>    end
>
>    extend ClassMethods
>
>    def self.append_features(klass)
>      super
>      klass.extend(ClassMethods)
>    end
>  end
>
>
> Second, I've seen the following constructions:
>
> validates :url :with => %r{^http:.+\.(gif|jpg|png)$}i
>
>         and
>
> check_associations %w(friends downloads links)
>
> I'm guessing that the "%r" and "%w" are the ruby equivalents of perl's
> qr{} and qw{} constructs (does this mean there's a %qq() and %qx() as
> well?), but I can't find documentation to that effect inside the
> references available on-line.  (And before someone says "Buy the
> Pickaxe!" I'll just say that I spent my book budget this month on the
> Rails book and any other purchases will have to wait until my next
> paycheck.)
> 
>         Thanks!
> 
>                 Elf