From: James Britt <ruby@...>
Date: 2005-10-09T13:10:54+09:00
Subject: Re: gems is a language change, not a pkging system (Re: Require Namepaces and RubyGems' effect on LoadPath problem)

Sean E. Russell wrote:
> On Wednesday 28 September 2005 12:02, James Britt wrote:
> 
>>Indeed, if you omit rubygem's ability to fetch things via http, and were
>>required to copy all gems locally before installing, it becomes little
>>different than running tar -xzvf and then install.rb.  Except gems are
>>easier.
> 
> 
> Doesn't Gems try to download dependencies automatically?

Yes, but if you have the needed files copied locally then gems is, I 
believe, happy.

If the gem has a dependency, and you do not have a local file, and do 
not have net access, you're screwed.

Much as if you had tried to install a lib from a tarball and upon 
attempting the installation , or perusing the README, you discover it, 
too, depends on a file you do not have.

Too many times I've tried to install something on a 'nix box, where main 
package Foo depends on bar.  So I go to install bar, only to discover it 
depends on baz.  Which I then go and get, and learn it depends on blug 
and bloog.  At least with gems, this sort of tedious lib hunt is managed 
for me if I have a 'Net connection.


James