Hello James,

> I have been thinking about how to go about putting ruby in a 
> limited resource enviroment (a PDA)

What a great idea. Can I ask which particular platform or machine you have
in mind?

> ideas. I am a ruby newbie so please have mercy!

I guess our local gurus didn't see this, or realize you really mean it :).
Nevertheless, you got their attention, so good for you! Now you just have to
persist and ask until they explain in detail you're able to follow.

> def require source
>   files = File.new("libcontents").read
>   source.sub! /.rb/ ,""
>   if files =~ Regexp.new(source + ".rb")

I have only one comment here. I'm pretty sure you don't want to write
source.sub! !! In this case you create a possibly disastrous side-effect:

  def bar(foo)
    foo.sub!(".rb","")
  end
 
  f="foo.rb"
  bar(f)
  raise "fatal error, exiting!" unless f == "foo.rb"

  puts "exit gracefully!"
  exit

outputs:

  -e:1: fatal error, exiting! (RuntimeError)

You should remember matz advice here: don't use bang methods unless you know
what you're doing.

	- Aleksi