Before and After Ruby

found on the "journal of jess".

Also Torsten is wondering here:

What I dont understand is that people complain about Java and start with Ruby right after it.
What if they would take the next step and directly start using Smalltalk. I'm sure they will enjoy the wonderfull world full of objects.

Well I think that Smalltalk environment is too scary for a java developer: no code files, no cvs/subversion, everything is in an image file, etc.

When a java developer plunges in Smalltalk, he has a "What now" moment: everything is there, but he does not know where to start.

Ruby is the "way" to Smalltalk: easier to learn, but OO imperfect (ruby has "syntax" and not everything is an object)