ruby1.8-dev should be recommended, not suggested
Affects | Status | Importance | Assigned to | Milestone | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
libgems-ruby (Debian) |
Fix Released
|
Unknown
|
|||
libgems-ruby (Ubuntu) |
Fix Released
|
Undecided
|
Unassigned |
Bug Description
Currently, rubygems suggests ruby1.8-dev. However, ruby1.8-dev should be recommended instead--or even a full-blown dependency. If a gem requires it, it will produce unintelligible errors. For example, without ruby1.8-dev, installing the gem ruby-debug produces:
-------
ERROR: Error installing ruby-debug:
ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.
/usr/bin/ruby1.8 extconf.rb install ruby-debug
extconf.rb:1:in `require': no such file to load -- mkmf (LoadError)
from extconf.rb:1
-------
Apparently, mkmf is part of ruby1.8-dev, but how is someone who isn't familiar with building gems to know that?
When someone installs rubygems, it's reasonable to expect to get everything necessary for installing gems--unless rubygems itself takes care of any dependencies. With ruby1.8-dev as a recommended package, aptitude will install it automatically. If it remains suggested, then how many people will realize that it provides essential functionality? How many people regularly check to see which packages are suggested?
Related branches
Changed in libgems-ruby: | |
status: | Unknown → New |
Changed in libgems-ruby (Debian): | |
status: | New → Fix Released |
libgems-ruby currently FTBFS on Ubuntu (LP: #246767). You should report this bug on the Debian BTS. That way, when the bug is patched, both Debian and Ubuntu users will be able to benefit from the patch. Otherwise, we will have to wait for LP: #246767 to be fixed before we can patch this bug.