I just had my wife go through it, and she had similar sticking points. She seemed to grok most of it, with some small explanations of syntax along the way (=== as equality vs = as assignment, [a, b, c] is a list of things, etc).
I think that the value of this tool is to help non-programmers discover that code isn't scary, and that it's made of simple things that regular humans can understand. The key would be to have a developer beside them to (briefly) explain things that look utterly foreign or step in with some guidance if things get frustrating.
Overall, in my opinion it's a fantastic "gentle introduction to programming". It was a real confidence-builder for my wife, and she's agreed to go through tryruby.org with me tomorrow. Mission accomplished, IMO.
I think that the value of this tool is to help non-programmers discover that code isn't scary, and that it's made of simple things that regular humans can understand. The key would be to have a developer beside them to (briefly) explain things that look utterly foreign or step in with some guidance if things get frustrating.
Overall, in my opinion it's a fantastic "gentle introduction to programming". It was a real confidence-builder for my wife, and she's agreed to go through tryruby.org with me tomorrow. Mission accomplished, IMO.