Pragmatic Bookshelf releases "Learn to Program"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contacts: Andy Hunt or Dave Thomas 
800-699-7764 (919-847-3884)
pragprog@pragmaticprogrammer.com

January 16,2006--Computers are everywhere, on every desk, in your iPod, 
cell phone, and PDA. To live well in the 21st century, you need to know 
how to make computers do things. And to really make computers do what you 
want, you have to learn to program. 

Fortunately, that's easier now than ever before. With his new book, "Learn
To Program" (Pragmatic Bookshelf, US$19.95, 0-9766940-4-2), author Chris
Pine can teach anyone how to program: you, your spouse, your children, or
non-programmers who work closely with the programming team. 

What makes this book different from all the other introductory "learn how
to program" books? It teaches basic programming skills using Ruby,
a remarkably easy-to-learn and use, modern, full-featured programming
language.
 
Languages such as Java come with a lot of extra baggage that gets in the
way of learning. For instance, a simple program to print the words "Hello
World" looks like this in Java: 

    public static void main(String[] args) 
    { System.out.println ("Hello World"); }

There's a lot of gunk there that needs explaining. But in Ruby, that same
program looks like this: 

    puts "Hello World"

Coupled with Ruby's full-strength, professional, object-oriented approach
and libraries, and you've got a real winner on your hands.
 
Chris tells us, "I discovered the Ruby programming language in early 2001
and immediately began using it to build tools for my day job: programming
computer games. After hours, I volunteered with gifted children, teaching
them advanced mathematics. With Ruby in hand, I began to teach programming
as well." Once he saw how easily his students learned advanced programming
concepts in this environment, he decided to expand his teaching materials
into a book. 

Starting with small, simple, one-line programs to calculate your age in
seconds, you'll see how to advance to fully structured, real programs.
You'll learn the same technology used to drive modern dynamic websites and
large, professional applications.
 
In other words, it's the pragmatic way to learn to program. 
 
Learn To Program 
Chris Pine
ISBN 0-9766940-4-2, 175 pages, $19.95US, $27.95CA

Pragmatic Bookshelf Titles are distributed to bookstores internationally
by O'Reilly Media. 

Additional Resources:
Audio excerpts, sample chapters, table of contents, and more information
is available on the book's home page, at: 
http://www.pragmaticprogrammer.com/press_releases/fr_ltp....

About Pragmatic Bookshelf
The Pragmatic Bookshelf features books written by developers for
developers. The titles continue the well-known Pragmatic Programmer style,
and continue to garner awards and rave reviews. As development gets more
and more difficult, the Pragmatic Programmers will be there with more
titles and products to help programmers---and their families and
friends---stay on top of their game.