Review: Integrating the PayPal API with Ruby on Rails
My sensei Ben Curtis has published another guide, Integrating the PayPal API with Ruby on Rails. It’s available online at http://agilewebdevelopment.com/guides/rails-paypal-api-integration for $12.
It’s a fact that a book shouldn’t be judged by its cover. I’m also adding that a book shouldn’t also be judged by the number of pages. I may be somewhat biased, but this 5-page “guide” contains straight to the point instruction on using PayPal API to create the e-commerce feature in your app. It’s a step-by-step guide with the “real world” information. By the way, it also contains a sample application code that illustrates all points, but I’m not counting that.
Just a few caveats though. This guide assumes that you have a reasonable working knowledge of Ruby on Rails. It also assumes that you have the ability to get the necessary details on plugins (perhaps http://agilewebdevelopment.com). However, it’s not so advanced that someone with adequate intelligence can’t figure it out.
I highly recommend this guide along with Ben’s other book, Money Train. I know some of you will bitch and moan about the price tag, but the information you get is worth whole lot more than the price tag. The amount of time you’ll save alone will pay for this guide and whole lot more.
Now that I know how to use PayPal to sell something, I just have to come with something to sell. Any ideas?
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5 Responses to “Review: Integrating the PayPal API with Ruby on Rails”
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$12 for 5 pages is a robbery, and it’s only a PDF guide!, not a book. For example, “Beginning Ruby on Rails E-Commerce: From Novice to Professional” costs about $21 in Amazon, it is about the same topic, has about 400 pages and is a real book (paperback), not a simple PDF. I think that, this “5 pages guide” can be rather an article in a blog than a guide.
I bought the Money Train a few months ago and, to be honest, it is a waste of every cent of its price. I have read blogs with guides better wroten, better presented and, of course, absolutelly free.
I am in favour of sell your knowledge to others, in the case that it is a very valuable one, and for a reasonable price. This happen with Geoffrey Grosenbach and his peepcode screencast and other stuff. I just bought his [DRAFT] Rails Code Review PDF, for $9, with 79 pages with very useful information about rails coding, common situations and problems and how to address them. He sells his experience and knowledge to the world and it worths the cost. I do not bought any of his screencasts since I am a spanish-speaking freak and my listening level is below average, I must train a little more before.
Ok, but as someone who bought just about every books, screencasts, and guides, I have to say that I disagree with you. I hope you can see that I value the quality of the information than quantity. I also put greater value on actual execution of a concept than example codes that are there to serve the purpose of communicating the concept.
I don’t want to question your thoughts about this product, I only compare its price with the whole universe of books, screencasts and guides about rails. I read your review, from top to bottom, and I reached the conclussion of this book is another MoneyTrain (I dislike this book so much). This time, I prefer to learn by myself.
Anyway, thanks for the review. Bye!
Actually, thank you for your feedback. I always appreciate the opinions of others as I always get something from it. It’s also great that you’re very proactive in your learning. I’ll try to provide as much information as possible through this blog.
I agree. $12 book is a robbery. I wasted most of my day figuring out the code that came up with the book and it’s a horrible waste of time. Wish I had written it myself.