From: Luis Lavena <luislavena@...>
Date: 2008-01-04T04:30:03+09:00
Subject: Re: Windows Compilation Madness

On Jan 3, 5:22 pm, Joel VanderWerf <vj...@path.berkeley.edu> wrote:
> Luis Lavena wrote:
> > Roger Pack suggested me to bundle MinGW in a gem...:
>
> > 1) a 8MB gem (!!!)
> > 2) because mingw is inside the gem, will not be easy hook it into PATH
> > 3) that didn't solve the rbconfig issues.
>
> That would be great, if it can be made to work. I have ruby programs
> that require C compilation to work (code is generated based on user
> input in a ruby-based DSL). The hard part is setting up the compiler on
> the user's computer.
>

Err... part of the numbered list are the problems with that approach:

- 8MB for a gem will be problematic, mostly on how open-uri works (and
how rubygems use it).

- There is no easy way to hook MinGW inside a gem, just adding the
path will exceed the PATH environment variable size.

- Still, Ruby with with VC6 need VC6 to compile, or a hacked rbcofnig
file, which need tweaks "per installation", since noone install ruby
in the same path, drive, etc.