# Get system name **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [October 14, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/get-system-name/150894 "2008-10-14T19:30:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/cc9497/32.png) [@Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Kless)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/get-system-name/150894/1 "2008-10-14T19:30:45Z")
Is there any method that returns the operating sytem being used? ---
**Author:** ![Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/cc9497/32.png) [@Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Kless)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/get-system-name/150894/2 "2008-10-14T19:37:48Z")
Check out the Ruby Constants… PLATFORM could be one. ---
**Author:** ![Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/cc9497/32.png) [@Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Kless)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/get-system-name/150894/3 "2008-10-14T20:03:54Z")
Victor G. wrote: > Check out the Ruby Constants… PLATFORM could be one. The constant is RUBY\_PLATFORM. If more info is needed, check the output of this, require ‘rbconfig’ require ‘pp’ pp Config::CONFIG ---
**Author:** ![Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/cc9497/32.png) [@Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Kless)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 8:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/get-system-name/150894/4 "2008-10-14T20:45:59Z")
On 14 oct, 19:03, The Higgs bozo [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Victor G. wrote: > > > Check out the Ruby Constants… PLATFORM could be one. > > The constant is RUBY\_PLATFORM. > I haven’t that constant, but ‘target\_os’. ---
**Author:** ![Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/cc9497/32.png) [@Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Kless)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/get-system-name/150894/5 "2008-10-14T20:08:23Z")
That’s a great alias! I wish I’d thought of it. Now someone unsubscribe me from this list, dammit. I can’t figure out how, cause I’m a moron! (Just kidding, don’t really unsub me…) On Tue, Oct 14, 2008 at 7:03 PM, The Higgs bozo [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)wrote: > – > Angels and ministers of grace defend us! - Hamlet, Act I, Scene 4 ---
**Author:** ![Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/cc9497/32.png) [@Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Kless)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/get-system-name/150894/6 "2008-10-14T21:17:20Z")
Kless wrote: > On 14 oct, 19:03, The Higgs bozo [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > Victor G. wrote: > > > > > Check out the Ruby Constants… PLATFORM could be one. > > > > The constant is RUBY\_PLATFORM. > > I haven’t that constant, but ‘target\_os’. RUBY\_PLATFORM is a top-level constant, apart from Config::CONFIG. $ ruby -e ‘p RUBY\_PLATFORM’ ---
**Author:** ![Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/cc9497/32.png) [@Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Kless)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 9:26pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/get-system-name/150894/7 "2008-10-14T21:26:34Z")
On Oct 14, 12:03 pm, The Higgs bozo [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Victor G. wrote: > > > Check out the Ruby Constants… PLATFORM could be one. > > The constant is RUBY\_PLATFORM. I recommend against this because of JRuby (and probably IronRuby). JRuby, for example, will return “java” for RUBY\_PLATFORM. > If more info is needed, check the output of this, > > require ‘rbconfig’ > require ‘pp’ > pp Config::CONFIG There you go. Take a look at Config[‘host\_os’]. Regards, Dan ---
**Author:** ![Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/cc9497/32.png) [@Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Kless)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 12:08pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/get-system-name/150894/8 "2008-10-17T12:08:22Z")
On 14 oct, 20:55, The Higgs bozo [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Is there an example of CONFIG[“target\_os”] != CONFIG[“host\_os”] ? > Yes, my Ubuntu shows: $ ruby -e ‘require “rbconfig”; p Config::CONFIG[“host\_os”], Config::CONFIG[“target\_os”]’ “linux-gnu” “linux” ---
**Author:** ![Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/cc9497/32.png) [@Kless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Kless)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 9:55pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/get-system-name/150894/9 "2008-10-14T21:55:59Z")
Daniel B. wrote: > On Oct 14, 12:03�pm, The Higgs bozo [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > Victor G. wrote: > > > > > Check out the Ruby Constants… PLATFORM could be one. > > > > The constant is RUBY\_PLATFORM. > > I recommend against this because of JRuby (and probably IronRuby). > JRuby, for example, will return “java” for RUBY\_PLATFORM. > > > If more info is needed, check the output of this, > > > > require ‘rbconfig’ > > require ‘pp’ > > pp Config::CONFIG > > There you go. Take a look at Config[‘host\_os’]. I wonder if RUBY\_PLATFORM should be deprecated, then? I’ve used ‘target\_os’ in the past, a decision I rationalized thusly: on the off chance that ruby spits out an executable of any form, I want the platform of that executable. In hindsight I wonder if it makes any sense. Is there an example of CONFIG[“target\_os”] != CONFIG[“host\_os”] ?