# How to install/configure ruby as a non-root user

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-install-configure-ruby-as-a-non-root-user/160614>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [February 18, 2009, 6:08am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-install-configure-ruby-as-a-non-root-user/160614 "2009-02-18T06:08:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pbhandar](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/76d3ee/32.png) [@pbhandar](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pbhandar)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 6:08am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-install-configure-ruby-as-a-non-root-user/160614/1 "2009-02-18T06:08:40Z")

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Hi,  
I am trying to install ruby as a non-root user. I found that with  
-prefix this works fine. I am thinking this has something to do with  
library path settings. However, I am not sure how to go about figuring  
this out. Any help would be highly appreciated.

rh511grac1:unset\> ./server.rb  
./kernel.rb:18:in `include': wrong argument type Class (expected Module) (TypeError) from ./kernel.rb:18 from ./server.rb:5:in`require’  
from ./server.rb:5

Thanks.

Prakash

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pbhandar](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/76d3ee/32.png) [@pbhandar](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pbhandar)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 8:52am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-install-configure-ruby-as-a-non-root-user/160614/2 "2009-02-18T08:52:16Z")

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On Feb 18, 2009, at 6:08 AM, Pra B. wrote:

> rh511grac1:unset\> ./server.rb  
> ./kernel.rb:18:in `include': wrong argument type Class (expected Module) (TypeError) from ./kernel.rb:18 from ./server.rb:5:in`require’  
> from ./server.rb:5

Is server your own code?

If yes, you are just doing something wrong (by calling include with a  
Class, not a Module[1]). If this is not your code, contact the author.

This is no problem of the installation.

Regards,  
Florian

[1]: If you don’t know the difference, read any tutorial on Ruby.

–  
Florian G.

smtp: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid  
jabber: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid  
gpg: 533148E2

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pbhandar](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/76d3ee/32.png) [@pbhandar](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pbhandar)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-install-configure-ruby-as-a-non-root-user/160614/3 "2009-02-18T21:18:03Z")

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Florian G. wrote:

> On Feb 18, 2009, at 6:08 AM, Pra B. wrote:
> 
> > rh511grac1:unset\> ./server.rb  
> > ./kernel.rb:18:in `include': wrong argument type Class (expected Module) (TypeError) from ./kernel.rb:18 from ./server.rb:5:in`require’  
> > from ./server.rb:5
> 
> Is server your own code?
> 
> If yes, you are just doing something wrong (by calling include with a  
> Class, not a Module[1]). If this is not your code, contact the author.
> 
> This is no problem of the installation.
> 
> Regards,  
> Florian
> 
> [1]: If you don’t know the difference, read any tutorial on Ruby.
> 
> –  
> Florian G.
> 
> smtp: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid  
> jabber: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid  
> gpg: 533148E2

Hi Florian,

Yes, the server.rb and kernel.rb is internal code. I was starting to go  
down that path that you suggested and was thrown off by this one fact.  
If I use the default ruby interpreter that was preinstalled in /usr/bin  
then I don’t get that error. Is there some type of flag that is doing  
internal error handling automatically for me in the /usr/bin/ruby that  
my install of ruby is not setup to do.

Thank you very much for your response.

Prakash