From: self :)
# From: Mauricio Julio FernáÏdez Pradier :
# # Does the C:\Documents and Settings\peñáijm directory exist? 
# # (maybe a problem with the eñå?)
# 
# verified, it's the eñå alright. I logged in using a simple 
# userid, it works. On another pc, i used a different folder 
# dir, just the root C:\, and it also works.
# 
# but i really would hope that there is a possible fix for this 
# since i and some of us here have eñå on their names/loginid. 
# Is ruby mungling the eñå-ed text?

arggh, I find discrepancy bw ruby and mswindows env vars :(

C:\family\ruby>cat test.rb
# environ tests
p "---ENV['USERPROFILE']---"
p ENV['USERPROFILE']
#p Dir.entries ENV['USERPROFILE']  # <-----THIS ERRS !!
p Dir.entries('C:\\Documents and Settings\\peñáijm')  #<-- this is fine

C:\family\ruby>ruby test.rb
"---ENV['USERPROFILE']---"
"C:\\Documents and Settings\\pe\244aijm"
[".", "..", "#test.rb#", "#test.txt#", ".irbrc", ".irb_history", ".java",
".jedit", ".jpi_cache", ".plugin140_01.trace", ".plugin141_01.trace", ".tm
econsole", ".vimrc", ".vimrc~", ".wgetrc", ".zsh_history", "1151730757-oem
30.inf", "1151730757-oem30.PNF", "1151730757-oem31.inf", "1151730757-oem31
.PNF", "1151730757-oem32.inf", "1151730757-oem32.PNF", "1151917885-oem30.i
nf", "1151917885-oem30.PNF", "1151917885-oem31.inf", "1151917885-oem31.PNF
", "1151917885-oem32.inf", "1151917885-oem32.PNF", "1170304489-oem3.inf",
"usbsermptxp.sys", "USB_CMCS_2000.INF", "USB_MOT_A1000.INF", "USB_MOT_BRIT.
INF", "UserData", "vimfiles", "wengo", "WINDOWS", "WinVNC.log", "yaml", "y
aml.1", "yaml.2", "yaml.3", "zshrc", "zshrc_old", "zshrc~", "_viminfo"]

Is there other way to get the userid in windows without going thru ENV?
Maybe, some spanish ruby hackers have some ideas here..

kind regards -botp