On 8/23/06, Jan Svitok <jan.svitok / gmail.com> wrote:
> On 8/23/06, ryan.raaum / gmail.com <ryan.raaum / gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > ryan.raaum / gmail.com wrote:
> > > Patrick Hurley wrote:
> > > > On 8/23/06, ryan.raaum / gmail.com <ryan.raaum / gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > Also, it is important to ask if you are on windows or linux/bsd/mac os
> > > > > x.  It is significantly harder to extend ruby on windows than on one of
> > > > > the unixy systems.
> > > >
> > > > Not really. It is significantly harder to build libraries designed for
> > > > unixy systems under windows than on those unixy systems. But the Ruby
> > > > interface to C/C++ is pretty much identical between platforms. Why do
> > > > you say it is harder?
> > >
> > > Because ruby is unix focussed.  All the core ruby developers are unix
> > > people.  The ruby toolchain is a unix-oriented toolchain (see the
> > > recent 100+ message thread about ruby on windows).
> > >
> > > To build on windows, one must either build ruby from scratch using
> > > mingw (a topic of some contention and basically a unix toolset for
> > > windows) or have vc6, which is less than readily available if you don't
> > > already have it.  Ruby does not build easily in currently available
> > > microsoft tools.
> > >
> > > Starting from scratch, on a vanilla unix system, anyone with reasonable
> > > unix and c knowledge can build ruby and a (minimal) custom extension in
> > > well under an hour.
> > >
> > > Starting from scratch, on a vanilla windows system, I would be amazed
> > > if a windows guru could build ruby and a custom extension in under a
> > > full working day.
> >
> > Qualifying my own post.  Using mingw - slightly longer than on unix
> > allowing for the time needed to install mingw.  Using microsoft tools -
> > much more difficult.
>
> For us works compiling with VC7 (2003) and even with VC8 (2005),
> although I have to copy those manifests andd runtime dlls along with
> extention dll. I know it isn't safe, however we do it for more than a
> year and without crashes. So it's possible, but YMMV.
> I wouldn't recommend it for production use without consulting with
> those who know what are the problematic cases.
>
> To compile under VC8 I had to comment out the compiler check in
> config.h since one-click 1.8.4-20.


In passing: VC6 is quite old now, can Microsoft not be persuaded to
give it away free? I'd be happy to put my CD up for download if it
were legal.

Les