21 Quality Screencasts on Scaling Rails

This a follow-up post to an earlier post on the Scaling Rails Screencast Series by Gregg Pollack, when there were only 13 screencasts, now there are 21. Eight more have been added on topics like load testing and database scaling. This series is of surprisingly high quality. While I didn't view every screencast, I sampled a large set and found them to have solid content and high production values. In fact, how did they make these things? The instructor moves around in a little box while the content flows around him. A very cool effect. But that wouldn't matter if the content didn't deliver, here's what's new:

  • Episode #14 - Rack & Metal
  • Episode #15 - Load Testing - Part 1
  • Episode #16 - Load Testing - Part 2
  • Episode #17 - Scaling Your Database - Part 1
  • Episode #18 - Scaling Your Database - Part 2
  • Episode #19 - On The Edge - Part 1
  • Episode #20 - On The Edge - Part 2
  • Episode #21 - On The Edge - Part 3

The courses while targeted at Rails are more generally applicable. When you learn about caching and database scaling, for example, you are learning general concepts, not just Rails specific idioms, so take a look even if you aren't a Rails developer. Gregg has started a new site called EnvyCasts, which features a line of similar screencasts. PeepCode is also in this space, if you are looking for even more learnin'.

I was also curious if people like to learn this way? Are screencasts effective teaching tools?