Hello All,
I have been a C++ desktop applications developer for 10 years now, with a bit of C# programming, still in desktop applications. I am excited to make a move to learn web applications development. I figure since I am starting basically from scratch that I get to pick the server side language without bias based on what I already know. I really like what I read about Ruby and Rails.
My C++ background has given me a good bit of OOP and I have a notion of MVC and agile development methodologies, including TDD. I only have the most vague notions of how the web really works, and no database experience at all. What I am learning about the whole web pipeline is that there are lots of tiers with lots of different options at each level, and it can be a bit daunting to wrap your head around. I can see there are MANY MANY resources out there, so the problem is not the lack of resources, but rather that it is like trying to drink from a fire hydrant. I have found some good references on RAILS and Ruby, but from what I have browsed, it seems that these are tailored for people who already have a grasp on web development and are migrating to Rails.
So my question is this: What would you all recommend as a course of study for someone like me that is new to all web development, but would like to learn about it all, with an emphasis on Ruby and Rails? Where should I go first? I am working on the Rolling with Ruby example now, and that is helping a good bit, and I will move on to the getting started examples on the rubyonrails.org site. Any other recommendations on a course of study would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, -- Rick