What I'd like to see from RubyMonk, CodeAcademy, and others, is a good list of resources for taking the next steps in programming their respective languages (i.e., here is the best list of instructions for setting up your development environment/installing Ruby on your machine, a good tutorial you know of about Rails/Sinatra, a suggestion to find a meetup group in your area, etc.). A curated list of resources for each of these languages would be extremely valuable for newcomers.
I've been learning Ruby myself lately, and I don't think it's quite as simple as "go build stuff in it." Much more helpful for seasoned people to say "take a class, join a meetup group, and get some help because it's normal to get stuck and need help." For someone who's never programmed before, just installing the right software and setting up an environment of any sort is intimidating and easy to get stuck on.
Sure, you need to start building stuff, but RubyMonk, CodeAcademy, and others like them are great ways to get people interested enough to take the next step. We just need some good resources to take those next steps, and Googling doesn't always lead you to a good, accessible resource (I hear http://learnpythonthehardway works for Python, but don't really know of similar resources for other languages).
I've been learning Ruby myself lately, and I don't think it's quite as simple as "go build stuff in it." Much more helpful for seasoned people to say "take a class, join a meetup group, and get some help because it's normal to get stuck and need help." For someone who's never programmed before, just installing the right software and setting up an environment of any sort is intimidating and easy to get stuck on.
Sure, you need to start building stuff, but RubyMonk, CodeAcademy, and others like them are great ways to get people interested enough to take the next step. We just need some good resources to take those next steps, and Googling doesn't always lead you to a good, accessible resource (I hear http://learnpythonthehardway works for Python, but don't really know of similar resources for other languages).