From: "max" <max / solution-x.com>

> 
> how can ruby read the 2? it is somethinng with the stdin or?
> 
> when i do
> puts `perl test.pl 1`
> 
> it outputs      2
>                 nil
> 

Use 'irb' until you find the answer: e.g.

Gavin Sinclair@NOSEDOG /tmp/a
$ cat > print2.sh
#!/bin/bash

echo 2

Gavin Sinclair@NOSEDOG /tmp/a
$ irb --simple-prompt
>> output = `print2.sh`
=> "2\n"
>> output.to_i
=> 2
>>