z / xa.net wrote:
> Hello,
> I am trying to learn Ruby, reading the "pickaxe" book v 2.0. It seems
> pretty decent. However, I am looking for something different. Firstly, I
> want something that has assignments in it - something to prove to myself
> that I have grasped the concepts introduced in the preceeding chapter.
>
> The other thing I'd like is a book that is written for a specific
> IDE/editor, instead of irb. I'm used to writing in vi, but I want to get
> away from that 1980s style of programming (part of my whole change of
> attitude which is resulting in my studying Ruby).
>
> I don't have a lot of money, so I can't afford to take a college course.
> But, I would like that college textbook (without the college textbook
> cost).
>
> I'm experienced with C, so I don't need to be completely spoon-fed
> programming. Object-orientation is still a bit new to me, but I can hack
> it ;)
>
>   
Welcome to Ruby!

Regarding your requirement that the book target a specific editor, I 
don't think any such book exists. I suspect publishers would be afraid 
of limiting their sales to such a tiny market! Besides, which editor/IDE 
would you pick? Every "which is the best Ruby IDE?" post here gets 75 
answers, each one advocating a different editor or IDE. (Short answer: 
there is no "best.")

Check out my review of Peter Cooper's "Beginning Ruby" from Apress, on 
Slashdot: http://books.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/04/23/1429230. 
Cooper doesn't have any "assignments" but he does have a lot of example 
programs that may substitute.