So, what’s the deal?

This FAQ is being written in December, 2007. Matz is finalizing the functionality that will go into Ruby 1.9. So we felt it was time to dust off the PickAxe, updating it with Ruby 1.9 features.

Is this a major change?

Not really. Ruby 1.9 has a lot of new features, and breaks compatibility with 1.8 in a few areas, but it isn’t revolutionary. At the same time, there are enough of them, and they’re spread widely enough through the language and the libraries, that this wasn’t a simple reprint of the existing second edition. A third edition is needed.

How are you releasing the changes?

We’re writing the third edition as a beta book, which means that as we make changes we’ll release new versions of the PDF. However, rather than start with nothing, we’re blending in the text from the second edition; updating it as we go along.

What’s with the red and gray page headings?

Pages have either red or gray page headers and footers. Red pages are new content: they are part of what will become the third edition book. Gray pages are original content from the second edition. We know that they will contain some out of date information. Eventually the gray pages will all become red, and the book will be done.

When will it be done?

We’re thinking it will be complete early in Q2, 2008. However, we’re not setting this in stone, because we want the book to reflect the full Ruby 1.9 functionality, so we’re going to keep the beta open until Ruby has stabilized. This means we’ll be sure to have the most up-to-date book possible.

What’s the deal with the discounts?

We’re trying an experiment with something different for this book. With all our other titles, a fresh edition counts as a brand new book, and has to be bought again. With this edition, we’re offering substantial discounts to owners of the existing second edition (if those books or PDFs were bought from us).

If you already own a combo pack (paper book plus PDF) of the second edition, we’ll give you $20 off a combo pack for the third. If you previously owned a PDF, book, or combo pack, we’ll give you $12.50 off the PDF.

I bought my second edition book elsewhere. Can I still get the discount?

Sorry, but no. The discount is only for folks who bought directly from us. Partly that’s a practical thing (because we know about those books). Partly it’s a way of saying “thank you”.

How do I get this discount?

Log in to your account, and you should find buttons there for whatever discount you’re eligible for.

(Important: If you bought a book from us prior to October 2007, you won’t automatically have an account. Simple create an account using the same email address you used in the order, and our system will find all your old orders and add them to this new account. If you’re changed email addresses, use the new one, then ask our support folks to harvest your old orders)