JD> I really want to present ruby in a good light with the next article.
JD> Any help would be greatly appreciated.

You would probably want to use an Object for your fields to do error
checking on content and so forth, but if you just want a simple
script, this one may be a little better:

-------------------
myfile = open('phonespec.txt', 'a')

puts "Welcome to MyAddressbook. Please follow the prompts."
puts "If you wish to end data entry, you may do so at any time"
puts "by type the word END into a prompt."

data = Array.new
fields = ["First Name", "Last Name", "Phone Number"]
x = 0
loop do
  print "\n\t#{fields[x]}: "
  line = gets
  break if line == "END\n"
  data[x] = line.chop
  x += 1
  if x == fields.length
    myfile.puts data.join("\t")
    data.clear
    x = 0
  end
end
puts "\n\nTo start the program again please type intro2.rb\n\tGoodBye!\n"
-------------------

ruby closes files on exit, so you don't have to ensure the close (I
believe).

regards,
-joe