From: Robert Klemme <shortcutter@...>
Date: 2006-12-20T17:10:06+09:00
Subject: Re: Question regarding threads and I/O

On 18.12.2006 03:59, Michael W. Ryder wrote:
> Logan Capaldo wrote:
>> What platform are you on?
> 
> Windows XP Pro, which I guess is part of the problem.  The problem I 
> have with Ruby is that I know it is possible to get this to work in 
> other languages, BBX (Business Basic) for example.  It may be that 
> because BBX did not use Microsoft compilers, it has been out longer than 
> Microsoft has existed, that it doesn't have some limitations built into 
> the Microsoft compilers.  This of course raises the question is there a 
> free compiler, such as gcc, which could compile Ruby without the thread 
> lock problem?

You can use cygwin's Ruby - this works as expected for me on a Win XP 
Home (and I guess also Pro):

Robert@Babelfish2 ~
$ uname -a
CYGWIN_NT-5.1 Babelfish2 1.5.21(0.156/4/2) 2006-07-30 14:21 i686 Cygwin

Robert@Babelfish2 ~
$ ruby -v
ruby 1.8.5 (2006-08-25) [i386-cygwin]

Robert@Babelfish2 ~
$ cat x.rb
   require 'timeout'
   foo = nil
   status = Timeout::timeout(5) {
     foo = gets()
   }
   puts (foo)


Robert@Babelfish2 ~
$ ruby x.rb
/usr/lib/ruby/1.8/timeout.rb:54: execution expired (Timeout::Error)
         from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/timeout.rb:56:in `timeout'
         from x.rb:3

Robert@Babelfish2 ~
$ ruby x.rb
12345
12345

I personally prefer cygwin on Windows boxes anyway because you have a 
nice shell, environment etc.

Kind regards

	robert