From: Sam Smoot <ssmoot@...>
Date: 2007-06-11T01:30:10+09:00
Subject: Re: Serious danger of being impressed

On Jun 10, 10:15 am, Mark Carter <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> I'm mostly into Python, and decided to have a go at writing a little
> accounts package (in python on OS X). It worked in its primitive way,
> and I was looking to take it to the next level.
>
> I decided that sqlite was the way to go. For some reason I couldn't get
> sqlite3 and the python module to work properly - it didn't seem to
> commit the data to the database consistently.
>
> So I thought, what the hell, I'll try Ruby. I switched over to Ubuntu,
> because it seemed a bit easier than OS X. First impressions: oh man! The
> sqlite package worked fine, and I came across rsqlitegui, which I can
> use to inspect the database when coding isn't required.
>
> I think Ruby is a serious serious contender for python.
>
> I'm also in two minds as to whether I should try to switch over from OS
> X permanently. I'm new to iMacs, and I have to say that OS X has a nice
> polish to it; but then Ubuntu, gotta love those repositories.

There's a few sore spots on the Mac, but I find MacPorts does the
trick most
of the time.

port install ruby rb-rubygems rb-sqlite3

That should do the trick as long as you don't mind the /opt/lib file
structure.

I always modify my ~/.profile as well to include:

export RUBYLIB="/opt/local/lib/ruby/site_ruby/1.8/"
export RUBYOPT="rubygems"

I just don't like having to manually require 'ruby_gems' ;-)

Sure it's not perfect, but MacPorts means I've never had to think
twice about the notoriously difficult RMagick install:

port install rb-rmagick

It's no apt-get, but I'll leave that to the servers. Trade in OS X for
Ubuntu? For me that'd be tough. Kubuntu maybe. ;-) Kate is second only
to TextMate IMO.

Either way you decide to go, good luck!