[ruby-talk:03814] Re: Why it's quiet -- standard distribution issues

"Conrad Schneiker" <[e-mail]> writes:

> Why don't you offer a minimalist distribution without the OS-dependent and
> GUI-dependent pieces, minus whatever else you regard as inessential. I'm
> sure it would be linked from ruby-lang and rubycentral. That way, Matz can
> continue with the less minimal approach, and you can coordinate the poorer
> functionality of a reduced distribution. That would seem like the best of
> both worlds. Users would have a choice.

Because the stuff you're talking about is to some extent currently
built-in--removing it would be difficult. My argument is not to remove 
it, anyway, but simply not to built in more more stuff without a
demonstrated need.

However, creating a distribution by _adding_ packages (such as NArray
and the like) would not involve changes to the core, and hence would
not involve potential maintenance problems.

It therefore seemed like the more orthogonal approach would be to have 
a core Ruby, which does not include every feature known to man, and
then a set of distributions based around that core with various
degrees of additional functionality.

I wasn't trying to be nasty when I suggested you build one. It was a
genuine suggestion. I'd do it myself if I wasn't already committed
with other Ruby stuff for most of my waking life.


Regards


Dave