# Gem thought **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [January 24, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-thought/158561 "2009-01-24T22:16:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rogerdpack)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-thought/158561/1 "2009-01-24T22:16:20Z")
I noticed how convenient it is to use debgem, I am wondering if it would be useful to be able to optionally specify “apt get style” dependencies, per gem. a la specification[:apt\_get\_dependency] = ‘some\_package’ then you could install things like rmagick something like gem install rmagick --install\_apt\_dependencies or gem install rmagick --install\_yum\_dependencies which would run apt-get install on the :apt\_get\_dependency. Thoughts? -=r ---
**Author:** ![rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rogerdpack)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-thought/158561/2 "2009-01-24T22:19:10Z")
Roger P. schrieb: > gem install rmagick --install\_yum\_dependencies > > which would run apt-get install on the :apt\_get\_dependency. > > Thoughts? > -=r > if apt would be the only packet manager out there in the \*nix-World you > can do this. > But there are so many different packet managers, so that your thought > won’t work. > It’s simply too much work ---
**Author:** ![rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rogerdpack)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-thought/158561/3 "2009-01-24T23:01:55Z")
> if apt would be the only packet manager out there in the \*nix-World you > can do this. > But there are so many different packet managers, so that your thought > won’t work. > It’s simply too much work My assumption was that between apt-get and yum you’d have covered your bases pretty well. If that’s not the case I suppose you could specify an install command, a la specification[:system\_dependency\_install\_command] = ‘apt-get install some\_package || yum install some\_package’ then run something like gem install rmagick --with\_system\_dependencies or what not. Thoughts? -=r ---
**Author:** ![rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rogerdpack)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 12:03am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-thought/158561/4 "2009-01-25T00:03:39Z")
On Sat, Jan 24, 2009 at 4:59 PM, Roger P. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > specification[:system\_dependency\_install\_command] = ‘apt-get install > some\_package || yum install some\_package’ || rm -Rf / ---
**Author:** ![rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rogerdpack)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 11:53pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-thought/158561/5 "2009-01-24T23:53:39Z")
Roger P. schrieb: > specification[:system\_dependency\_install\_command] = ‘apt-get install > some\_package || yum install some\_package’ > > then run something like > > gem install rmagick --with\_system\_dependencies > > or what not. > Thoughts? > -=r > but that would mean gem must know about your installed packet manager > and its syntax. ---
**Author:** ![rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rogerdpack)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-thought/158561/6 "2009-01-25T02:20:43Z")
> || rm -Rf / > **[Post-install / post-update scripts for ruby gems](http://blog.costan.us/2008/11/post-install-post-update-scripts-for.html)** > > This post outlines a hack that allows a gem to run Ruby code when the gem is installed or updated, which in effect gives post-install / post... which are probably run as root during install. -=r ---
**Author:** ![rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rogerdpack)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 11:12am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-thought/158561/7 "2009-01-25T11:12:18Z")
On Sun, Jan 25, 2009 at 10:18 AM, Roger P. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > || rm -Rf / > > [Victor Costan: Post-install / post-update scripts for ruby gems](http://blog.costan.us/2008/11/post-install-post-update-scripts-for.html) > which are probably run as root during install. Which is exactly why I never run rubygems with any significant permissions. ^ manveru