From: Lennon Day-Reynolds <rcoder@...>
Date: 2004-07-07T04:44:42+09:00
Subject: Re: Secure Ruby Compiler

Randy,

First, Ruby scripts are not compiled to bytecode, or any other
persistent format, which rules out a large class of obfuscation
processes.

I am also not aware of any existing tools which are explicitly
designed to hide sensitive strings or other data within a script. The
only real use-case I've heard for such tools is the distribution of
commercial (read: closed-source) software based on a plaintext
scripting language, which may either be anathema to the usual attitude
of developers using Ruby, or just not in enough demand to spark much
interest.

That being said, I'm currently working on a project which may require
some form of encryption of data stong enough to discourage at least
casual copying and modification. We're looking at several possible
options, but nothing really exists off-the-shelf for
purely-interpreted languages in general.

Lennon