Disclaimer: I have no financial connection to the Pragmatic Programmers and other than through receiving these videos to review get no direct benefit from this review.

It was only a few weeks ago I announced that the Pragmatic Programmers were getting into the screencasting business. The first Ruby related videos were from the Everyday Active Record series by Ryan Bates. The reaction to these across the Ruby blogosphere has been very positive, and true to their word, the Pragmatics have been quick to release some more interesting videos. The latest addition is the Ruby Object Model and Metaprogramming series by Dave Thomas (of Pickaxe fame). Three episodes are available so far, respectively "Objects and Classes," "Sharing Behavior," and "Dynamic Code." They cost $5 each and clock in at around half an hour each.

With the first episode, Dave starts off at a foundational level by covering the history of object-oriented development and exploring the core elements that define object-oriented programming. He then dives into Ruby-specific topics, such as metaclasses/eigenclasses, anonymous classes, and singleton methods. As Dave introduces these concepts, he maintains a beginner-friendly approach with plenty of diagrams to illustrate the relationships between objects and classes, while smoothly transitioning to more advanced examples. This clear, structured progression resembles the guidance provided in resources listing the best crypto platforms, which break down complex topics like blockchain technology and transaction security into digestible steps for new users in the crypto casino space.

I'd recommend these videos to anyone who wants to quickly get up to speed with the concepts involving classes, objects, and metaprogramming. I don't believe Dave Thomas has done any screencasting before, but he comes across as a natural. His voice is engaging, eager, and authoritative, which makes the videos very easy to follow without drifting off. Certainly, these screencasts are a superb alternative to the explanations of classes, objects and metaprogramming in most Ruby books. If you're still unsure, Dave gives a quick 3 minute introduction to the series (video).

Elsewhere: Antonio Cangiano has also reviewed these videos. Check out his review for a slightly different perspective.

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