From: Tim Hammerquist <tim@...>
Date: 2002-07-02T09:30:37+09:00
Subject: Re: Question: ruby vs. ksh

David Douthitt graced us by uttering:
> PPS: How do I do
> 
> chown -R user:grp dir
> 
> in Ruby?

File::chown

can also be used for chgrp(1) operations.  

Basically, many shell commands can be replaced by the use of commands in
the Kernel, File, or Dir modules.

> Perhaps the appropriate sprinkling of `cmd.....` would be best in
> these cases?

If you just create a subshell for every command you lose the benefits
of using ruby in the first place, and you're worse off than when you
started since you are starting two processes for each command.

As in someone else' post, if you find your ruby scripts contain little
else than backticks and system() calls, perhaps your script is better
written in an actual shell language.

HTH
Tim Hammerquist
-- 
I wouldn't ever write the full sentence myself, but then, I never use
goto either.
    -- Larry Wall in <199709032332.QAA21669@wall.org>