# Installing 1.8.5 on Debian

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/installing-1-8-5-on-debian/76222>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [November 16, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/installing-1-8-5-on-debian/76222 "2006-11-16T21:09:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lee\_Benson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/2acd7d/32.png) [@Lee\_Benson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Lee_Benson)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/installing-1-8-5-on-debian/76222/1 "2006-11-16T21:09:30Z")

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Hey guys,

I’m new to Ruby, and I’m using Debian GNU/Linux. I like it for the  
package management – BUT, the latest package I can find is 1.8.2.

I’d like to maintain Debian’s package management system (rather than  
compiling/installing source manually). Is there any way I can do that?  
Maybe a .deb distribution of the latest version available?

Or… if there’s a way to compile from source but somehow still  
maintain it from the package manager, I’d appreciate any info you can  
provide.

Thanks! -Lee

* * *

Now you can scan emails quickly with a reading pane. Get the new Yahoo!  
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**Author:** ![Lee\_Benson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/2acd7d/32.png) [@Lee\_Benson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Lee_Benson)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 9:17pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/installing-1-8-5-on-debian/76222/2 "2006-11-16T21:17:32Z")

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I just did an automatic install of 1.8.4 on Debian

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**Author:** ![Lee\_Benson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/2acd7d/32.png) [@Lee\_Benson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Lee_Benson)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 9:33pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/installing-1-8-5-on-debian/76222/3 "2006-11-16T21:33:40Z")

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Lee Benson wrote:

> Hey guys,
> 
> I’m new to Ruby, and I’m using Debian GNU/Linux. I like it for the package management – BUT, the latest package I can find is 1.8.2.

Latest version in the archive is 1.8.5; have a look there:

[http://packages.debian.org/unstable/interpreters/ruby1.8](http://packages.debian.org/unstable/interpreters/ruby1.8)

You’ll need to have an unstable distribution in you  
/etc/apt/sources.list. I don’t think there is any backport for stable,  
but you can try installing directly with the .debs found on the previous  
page.

Cheers !

```
Vince

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Lee\_Benson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/2acd7d/32.png) [@Lee\_Benson](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Lee_Benson)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 9:23pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/installing-1-8-5-on-debian/76222/4 "2006-11-17T21:23:23Z")

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- Vincent F. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) [2006-11-16 13:33]:

> Lee Benson wrote:  
> You’ll need to have an unstable distribution in you  
> /etc/apt/sources.list. I don’t think there is any backport for stable,  
> but you can try installing directly with the .debs found on the previous  
> page.

The .debs built for testing and unstable depend on a newer version of  
libc6 than stable has.

Add testing to /etc/apt/sources.list and then run  
apt-get build-dep ruby1.8  
apt-get source --build ruby1.8

You’ll end up with a pile of Ruby .debs that you can install with dpkg  
-i.