[tex-live] Ruby interpreter for Windows in the TeXLive distribution?

[Hans Hagen]

Reinhard Kotucha wrote:
> For Windows the situation is different:  Though I agree with Hans that
> it is quite easy to install 3rd party software, it is annoying to find
> out from where to get the latest release and download it.  Ruby is not
> the only thing, there are also ghostscript, graphics conversion tools,
> emacs... 
>   
you're joking, aren't you?

a google for ruby + download brings you to a page where one can find 
installers for windows (and once installed, due to file assiciations one 
can runy scripts without the need to rename them to suffixless files)

ghostscript, imagemagick, emacs ... all easy to install

it all depends on how you look for files, so unix users looking for a 
windows file may search differently than windows users for unix files

concerning unix: when i need the latest version of something i download 
a tarbal with code, compile it (several steps involved), become root in 
the process, etc etc. just as you have problems with locating and 
installing a windows installer, windows users may find that compile 
route troublesome ...

so ... i got the feeling that we're entering an os-pre-con-discussion 
loop here ...

anyhow, tex live has to be installed anyway, so i can imagine that on 
the dvd we put (for windows users) copies of the installers of most 
important stuff that comes in handy (ruby, perl, gs, inkscape, emacs, 
vi, whatever); space enough

for linux users we can then stick to a bunch of readme files (or 
scripts) explaining how to install these things using the dvd's 
(assuming one had the installation on dvd) or the web (assuming that one 
has a connection)

for mac users ... well, they have ruby already installed, and gerbens 
installer takes care of the rest (also non tex progs)

problem solved

Hans

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