From: Jan Svitok Date: 2006-11-29T17:35:01+09:00 Subject: Re: Gem question: "win32" vs. "ruby" On 11/29/06, Jeff wrote: > Often when I install a new gem, or try to update a gem I already have, > I'll be presented with a list of choices for which version I want to > install. > > And often I see two entries with the same version number, but one will > say "(win32)" after it, and the other will say "(ruby)". I assume if > I'm on WinXP, I should choose the win32 version - but why? What's the > difference? > > And so if there is *not* a win32 version, is it ok to install the > "ruby" version on a Windows system? For example, the latest Mongrel > gem (0.3.13.4) does not have a win32 equivalent. > > Thanks > Jeff Hi, the difference is when the gem contains compiled extension. On other platforms, it is assumed that you have a compiler installed by default, so gem can compile the extension without problems. On windows, no compiler is installed normally. To work around that, -win32 gems contain precompiled extension. You can use the not-precompiled gem provided you have the compiler installed (best and most safe one is the one that was used to compile ruby itself, in the case of one click it is VC6) and you have set up the compile environment vars (i.e. run vcvars32 before running gem install). In the case of mongrel, I'm not sure if 0.3.13.4 works on windows. To check see mongrel-users mailing list archive on rubyforge. There is a newer version in works that is almost done, but they are finishing the win32 part (it's like 0.3.18 or 0.3.19). You can fetch it from 'prereleases' repository, gem install mongrel --source http://mongrel.rubyforge.org/releases, but read the mailing list archive before you do. 0.3.13 is the latest stable for win32.