W(p)GtR

Like I tried to say in my previous post. It's a shame most scientific (or technological) books and articles are way too boring. So when I know a book, that's interesting, funny and very creative, I should dedicate a post to that book, don't I?

Here's a piece of the first chapter of "Why's (poignant) Guide To Ruby".

Pretend that you’ve opened this book (although you probably have opened this book), just to find a huge onion right in the middle crease of the book. (The manufacturer of the book has included the onion at my request.)

So you’re like, “Wow, this book comes with an onion!” (Even if you don’t particularly like onions, I’m sure you can appreciate the logistics of shipping any sort of produce discreetly inside of an alleged programming manual.)

Then you ask yourself, “Wait a minute. I thought this was a book on Ruby, the incredible new programming language from Japan. And although I can appreciate the logistics of shipping any sort of produce discreetly inside of an alleged programming manual: Why an onion? What am I supposed to do with it?”

No. Please don’t puzzle over it. You don’t need to do anything with the onion. Set the onion aside and let it do something with you.

I’ll be straight with you. I want you to cry. To weep. To whimper sweetly. This book is a poignant guide to Ruby. That means code so beautiful that tears are shed. That means gallant tales and somber truths that have you waking up the next morning in the arms of this book. Hugging it tightly to you all the day long. If necessary, fashion a makeshift hip holster for Why’s (Poignant) Guide to Ruby, so you can always have this book’s tender companionship.

You really must sob once. Or at least sniffle. And if not, then the onion will make it all happen for you.

Why's (poignant) guide to Ruby is worth mentioning, even if you don't care about Ruby programming or software at all. Besides the fact you can read it for free, you will get a little smile when you read the cartoons or the anekdotes of the writer.

I wonder if I could write like that. Most of my articles about programming would be quite boring too. That's why I avoid the topic as much as possible.