# OT: Mac configuration **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [December 21, 2005, 4:04pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ot-mac-configuration/50823 "2005-12-21T16:04:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/f1d935/32.png) [@nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nsquared)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 4:04pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ot-mac-configuration/50823/1 "2005-12-21T16:04:07Z")
I am switching from Windows to Mac specifically for Ruby development. Can someone give me suggestions for laptop hardware config and favorite dev software to use on the mac platform. thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/f1d935/32.png) [@nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nsquared)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ot-mac-configuration/50823/2 "2005-12-21T16:43:52Z")
nsquared wrote: > I am switching from Windows to Mac specifically for Ruby development. > Can someone give me suggestions for laptop hardware config and favorite > dev software to use on the mac platform. > > thanks in advance! I’ve been very (make that _extraordinarily_) happy with my 15" G4 Powerbook, 1Gb RAM, 1.67Ghz. Using TextMate or vim (depending on my mood). If you plan on doing any C development you’ll need to install the XCode tools from the install DVD. ---
**Author:** ![nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/f1d935/32.png) [@nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nsquared)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 6:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ot-mac-configuration/50823/3 "2005-12-21T18:20:27Z")
At 12:42 AM +0900 12/22/05, Timothy H. wrote: > If you plan on doing any C development you’ll need > to install the XCode tools from the install DVD. Actually, the XCode package contains lots more than XCode. Unless you’re disk-limited, just load it! -r ---
**Author:** ![nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/f1d935/32.png) [@nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nsquared)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ot-mac-configuration/50823/4 "2005-12-21T21:15:52Z")
On Dec 21, 2005, at 1:52 PM, Tim H. wrote: > Ruby comes pre-installed with the base system. Just be careful, many Mac users prefer to install Ruby from source because Apple’s build is “broken” in some senses (pack’s endian stuff is mixed up) and non-standard in others. (ruby.h header and some friends are in a non-standard place). ---
**Author:** ![nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/f1d935/32.png) [@nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nsquared)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2005, 7:50am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ot-mac-configuration/50823/5 "2005-12-23T07:50:14Z")
Thanks for all the info. New Mac arrives next week! ---
**Author:** ![nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/f1d935/32.png) [@nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nsquared)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ot-mac-configuration/50823/6 "2005-12-21T22:05:14Z")
Logan C. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Tim H. wrote: > > > Ruby comes pre-installed with the base system. > > Just be careful, many Mac users prefer to install Ruby from > source because Apple’s build is “broken” in some senses > (pack’s endian stuff is mixed up) and non-standard in others. > (ruby.h header and some friends are in a non-standard place). ``` penryu@kotoko:~>% type -a ruby ruby is /usr/bin/ruby ruby is /opt/local/bin/ruby ``` Yeah, I ran into some issues myself. But the problem is well documented and a solution easily found if the OP runs into any of these issues. Hell, half the RoR docs I’ve found take a proactive approach and say “might as well replace it _before_ you have any problems.” > –Apple-Mail-2-122512390– Just be careful. Apple Mail is “broken” in some senses and non-standard in others. 🙂 (I’m still waiting for external editor support…) (I use Mail.app for all my personal correspondence. But I can’t live without a nice (mutt|slrn)+vim combo for lists/groups.) Cheers! Tim H. ---
**Author:** ![nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/f1d935/32.png) [@nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nsquared)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2005, 4:04pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ot-mac-configuration/50823/7 "2005-12-23T16:04:43Z")
I like using either… jEdit ( [http://www.jedit.org/](http://www.jedit.org/) ) with the Ruby plugin ( [Ruby Editor Plugin for jEdit](http://jedit.org/ruby/) ). Smultron ( [http://smultron.sourceforge.net/](http://smultron.sourceforge.net/) ). jEdit works for all platforms, so if you use a lot of different operating systems that seems to be the way to go. ---
**Author:** ![nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/f1d935/32.png) [@nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nsquared)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2005, 6:56pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ot-mac-configuration/50823/8 "2005-12-23T18:56:38Z")
On Dec 21, 2005, at 10:18, Rich M. wrote: > At 12:42 AM +0900 12/22/05, Timothy H. wrote: > > > If you plan on doing any C development you’ll need > > to install the XCode tools from the install DVD. > > Actually, the XCode package contains lots more than > XCode. Unless you’re disk-limited, just load it! Agreed. LOTS of little tools and widgets get installed. GetFile and SetFile, the Property List Editor, the Rez tools, CpMac and MvMac, icon tools, and other things. ---
**Author:** ![nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/f1d935/32.png) [@nsquared](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nsquared)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ot-mac-configuration/50823/9 "2005-12-21T19:54:08Z")
nsquared [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > I am switching from Windows to Mac specifically for Ruby > development. Can someone give me suggestions for laptop > hardware config and favorite dev software to use on the mac > platform. Hardware: Aluminum Powerbook G4 15". Software: The dev tools include Xcode, gcc4, an X server that works well with Aqua, and lots of other stuff. Don’t forget to load it! Xcode I’ve never used personally, but gcc and the X11 have proven priceless. Ruby comes pre-installed with the base system. Vim.app with +ruby from [http://macvim.org](http://macvim.org) Tim H.