From: Aaron Kulbe <akulbe@...>
Date: 2005-11-21T16:08:12+09:00
Subject: Re: Best OS for Ruby Dev/Best OS for Ruby Hosting

> Lots of people happen to like FreeBSD for its Ruby support. One of its> major system utilities, portupgrade, is written in Ruby, so that's one> neat aspect. I'd recommend staying away from Gentoo: I prefer> source-based OSs, but Gentoo just breaks too often for it to be worth> it. Also, Gentoo users are on the whole jerkyer and less helpful than> normal people.
(I'd like to start out by apologizing first, gentlemen.  this iscertainly off-topic, but needs to be said)
Well Jacob, you succeed in communicating four things in your reply here.
1. you say Gentoo is prone to be broken2. you say Gentoo users are jerks3. you say Gentoo users are less helpful4. you say Gentoo users are not normal
As a Gentoo user, and a Gentoo developer... I'd like to say that I'mrather disturbed, maybe even slightly offended, at your remarks.  Wework hard to make the distribution good.  And I'd like to say that theusers bear some responsibility in how well their systems run.
If you want to build your system with an insane set of CFLAGS and USEflags, then I think problems that result are your own fault.
You say Gentoo users are jerkyer [sic] than other users.  I beg todiffer.  A jerk is a jerk, and it matters not what distro the saidjerk wants to use.  People with the kind of attitude I'm sure you'rereferring to are unbecoming to the entire Linux community.  Gentoodoes not have the corner on this market, and it's unfair to say so.
Gentoo users are less helpful?  I'm sorry, but this is utter crap.  Itwas this one thing that attracted me to the distribution in the firstplace, before any of its technical merits.  I can personally vouch forthis.  I had a very frustrating experience early on, when I started touse Gentoo.  I kept hitting a wall and was ready to give up.  I hadone of the developers help me, personally, to figure out the issues Iwas having.  This took a period of hours, and I was ready to pay himfor his time.  He flatly refused, and asked only one thing in return -that I never again say I was going to give up on Gentoo.  I didn't. Question - do you think we're less helpful because you come into#gentoo and ask a question, and don't get an answer *immediately*?  Ifthat's the case, keep in mind it's a VERY busy channel.  And tryidling there, and remember... /lastlog is your friend.

By saying Gentoo users are jerkyer [sic] than normal people, you makeus out to be abnormal.  Care to explain that one?  We're no differentthan anyone else.  I just enjoy a little more control over my chosendistribution.  Does that make one abnormal?  I think not.
Now... on to the Ruby business.  Keep in mind, there is admittedly abit of bias here, but I'm laying out all the cards.  I think Gentoo isan excellent distribution to host from, and do Ruby work from.  Itmight require more dedication on your part.  Gentoo is hands-on.  Butit's really good for people who like to tinker.  Good luck.