Re: pkg/39890

[Bernd Ernesti <veego%NetBSD.org@localhost>]

The following reply was made to PR pkg/39890; it has been noted by GNATS.

From: Bernd Ernesti <veego%NetBSD.org@localhost>
To: gnats-bugs%NetBSD.org@localhost
Cc: 
Subject: Re: pkg/39890
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:44:37 +0100

 On Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 11:00:06PM +0000, Michal Suchanek wrote:
 [..]
 
 >  >  Ruby programs are updated to supoprt newer Ruby 1.8.7 (or 1.9 preview).
 >  
 >  Yes. I do not doubt that. On the other hand, I have not heard of a
 >  program that requires 1.8.7. And code written for 1.8.7 (using 1.8.7
 >  documentation) has high chance of failing on 1.8.6 or earlier.
 
 Code written for 1.8.6 have a much higher chance to fail once 1.9 is out.
 With 1.8.7 you get warnings what you should avoid to get it working with
 1.9.
 
 >  > >  On some platfroms ruby 1.8.7 is not available and it is not desirable 
 > to install this version for most Ruby users (as far as I can tell from the 
 > ML discussions).
 >  > What is the "some platfroms"
 >  
 >  "some platforms" include Windows, and probably packaging systems that
 >  are not as eager to pick bleeding edge stuff ;-)
 
 So it is not for an OS which is supported by pkgsrc.
 
 Btw, it it false that 1.8.7 is not supported on Windows.
 See http://www.ruby-lang.org/en/downloads/ where you can get it.
 
 Oh, and some packaging system still use an outdated version
 with security problems.
 
 >  > and "the ML discussions"?
 >  ruby-talk
 
 Provide a pointer to a URL with a statement from a ruby developer.
 
 >  > > >Fix:
 >  > > roll back ruby to 1.8.6 or provide a separate 1.8.6 package
 >  > Retiring ruby 1.8.7 to 1.8.6 pillage the use of functionality of Ruby
 >  > 1.8.7 and I don't think it is realistic approach.
 >  
 >  Packaging an incompatible version of the interpreter does not seem
 >  realistic either.
 
 Where is it incompatible?
 As mentioned above, you get more problems once 1.9 is out if you use
 1.8.6 right now.
 
 And on the url which i mentioned above you see:
  The current stable version is 1.8.7.
 
 So why should we go back to another legacy version?
 
 Bernd