From: Stefan Schmiedl <s@...>
Date: 2004-12-19T04:47:14+09:00
Subject: Re: Please advise...Install Ruby from Debian Package or Source?

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 18:44:17 GMT,
Thursday <nospam@nospam.nospam.nospam.nospam.org> wrote:
> I'd like to install Ruby on a Debian server.
>
> Is it better to install the latest stable snapshot or install the Debian 
> package?  What are the pros and cons?

Some of them are:

if you install the package, you can install other packages
that depend on ruby.

if you tar-make-install the stable snapshot, the system
won't know that you have ruby installed.

packaged libraries are more convenient to install (which is equally
true for apt, gems and rpa)

For some time, I had a dual setup: packaged ruby below /usr
snapshot below /usr/local with PATH and #! preferring /usr/local.

> I'm also wondering if there are any problems caused by using Debian's 
> Ruby package with something like RubyGems where one doesn't know what 
> the other installed.

you can confuse your system, if you install the same library twice
and remove one.

s.