# MS VC++ Toolkit 2003? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [August 20, 2007, 2:20am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ms-vc-toolkit-2003/112481 "2007-08-20T02:20:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![timhunter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/71e660/32.png) [@timhunter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/timhunter)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 2:20am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ms-vc-toolkit-2003/112481/1 "2007-08-20T02:20:23Z")
I’ve just purchased a new Intel-based iMac and installed Windows XP using VMware Fusion. Now I’d like to build a new RMagick-win32 gem. The instructions I have say that I must use Microsoft’s VC++ Toolkit 2003. However, I see that that compiler is no longer available from MS and, from old ruby-lang posts, the 2005 version doesn’t work as a replacement. Does anybody know where I can get a copy of the 2003 version or, failing that, suggest an alternative? ---
**Author:** ![timhunter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/71e660/32.png) [@timhunter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/timhunter)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 5:09am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ms-vc-toolkit-2003/112481/2 "2007-08-20T05:09:32Z")
Tim H. wrote: > I’ve just purchased a new Intel-based iMac and installed Windows XP > using VMware Fusion. Now I’d like to build a new RMagick-win32 gem. The > instructions I have say that I must use Microsoft’s VC++ Toolkit 2003. > However, I see that that compiler is no longer available from MS and, > from old ruby-lang posts, the 2005 version doesn’t work as a replacement. VC++ 8 should work fine. I’ve built Ruby successfully with it. The only issue (that I’ve experienced) is the openssl library. If that’s not a deal breaker, then I recommend that. BTW, In the benchmarks I’ve run, the Ruby I built with VC++ 8 was approximately 10% faster than one built with VC++ 6. Regards, Dan ---
**Author:** ![timhunter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/71e660/32.png) [@timhunter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/timhunter)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2007, 6:30am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ms-vc-toolkit-2003/112481/3 "2007-08-20T06:30:36Z")
On 8/19/07, Daniel B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > BTW, In the benchmarks I’ve run, the Ruby I built with VC++ 8 was > approximately 10% faster than one built with VC++ 6. There are some tricks others (Nobu or NaHi, IIRC) have suggested to maximize cross-runtime compatibility, but my experience is that it’s best if you have everything built with the same runtime. Both zlib and openssl are easy to do this with, but the problem _ultimately_ is that you need to end up doing this with every single freakin’ support library. Damn Microsoft and incompatible runtimes. Solaris manages fixes without DLL hell. IBM does, too. -austin ---
**Author:** ![timhunter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/71e660/32.png) [@timhunter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/timhunter)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 3:33pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ms-vc-toolkit-2003/112481/4 "2007-08-21T15:33:29Z")
On 8/20/07, Tim H. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Austin Z. wrote: > > > There are some tricks others (Nobu or NaHi, IIRC) have suggested to > > maximize cross-runtime compatibility, but my experience is that it’s > > best if you have everything built with the same runtime. Both zlib and > > openssl are easy to do this with, but the problem _ultimately_ is that > > you need to end up doing this with every single freakin’ support > > library. > > Well, now I confess to being a bit confused. Just how do I make a new > > RMagick-win32 gem that will work with the 1.8.6 one-click installer? For that, you need either (a) Visual Studio 6 or (b) mingw. There are some possible minor incompatibilities with mingw, but that’s probably your best route. -austin ---
**Author:** ![timhunter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/71e660/32.png) [@timhunter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/timhunter)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ms-vc-toolkit-2003/112481/5 "2007-08-21T01:37:43Z")
Austin Z. wrote: > There are some tricks others (Nobu or NaHi, IIRC) have suggested to > maximize cross-runtime compatibility, but my experience is that it’s > best if you have everything built with the same runtime. Both zlib and > openssl are easy to do this with, but the problem _ultimately_ is that > you need to end up doing this with every single freakin’ support > library. Well, now I confess to being a bit confused. Just how do I make a new RMagick-win32 gem that will work with the 1.8.6 one-click installer?