We are working through these issues.  The gem developer will be able to 
identify executable scripts (aka applications).  The current idea is 
the gems framework will, upon install, generate a file in the standard 
place that /bin apps are placed right now (/usr/local/bin, etc) which 
will be a wrapper to the original app (located in the <gemdir>/bin/app, 
and will first do a require_gem '<library>' then load the app file.  
Chad is looking at this, I have my hands full trying to figure out 
building source gems (C extensions).

Best,

Rich

On Mar 24, 2004, at 9:04 PM, James Britt wrote:

> Hal Fulton wrote:
>
>> Warning: The following comments have a 50% chance of being wrong. :)
>> My understanding is that gems currently are good for libs, not
>> necessarily for apps.
>> Also I think that a large part of what gems are about is versioning --
>> e.g., you might want to keep multiple versions of Foo around.
>> However, I agree with you about making it as usable as possible.
>> What's the answer? Chad, Gavin, others?
>
> Ask the user when he or she installs a gem?
>
> Can a gem author tell the final gem that it is carrying an app, not 
> (or maybe along with) a lib , and if so, ask the end user how and 
> where to install it (e.g., in the gems lib dir, with a symlink from 
> the default bin dir; gems dir with no symlink; directly in the default 
> bin dir; some place else the user defines)?
>
> James
>
>
>
>
>