# What Version?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/what-version/185115>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [March 14, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/what-version/185115 "2010-03-14T01:24:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nickh](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/7ea924/32.png) [@nickh](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nickh)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/what-version/185115/1 "2010-03-14T01:24:23Z")

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I am kinda new to ruby and new to ruby on rails. I originally had  
1.9.1 installed but that caused errors when trying to install gems and  
compile them. I then installed 1.8.6 and then that has errors when  
trying to use postgresql. What version is the best to install on a  
windows machine where gems install and work and databases seem to work  
correctly? I am running Windows 7. Is there a huge difference between  
1.9.1 and 1.8.7 and 1.8.6? Its kinda confusing for a person new to  
rails and ruby. I am still teaching myself ruby so maybe i should just  
grab the best version for that then worry about rails.  
Thanks,  
–Nick

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**Author:** ![nickh](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/7ea924/32.png) [@nickh](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nickh)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2010, 3:16am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/what-version/185115/2 "2010-03-14T03:16:45Z")

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On 3/13/2010 5:23 PM, Nick H. wrote:

> –Nick

I use 1.9.1 on my Windows 7 install without problem. Make sure to use  
the installer from [http://rubyinstaller.org/](http://rubyinstaller.org/). If you want to install  
gems you’ll probably also want to download and install the devkit from  
the same page (it’s very simple). I recommend 1.9 for new projects as  
thats the newest version and 1.8.7 will eventually fall out of support.  
Depending on what libraries you need you may have to go to 1.8.7 though,  
as some still have not been updated for 1.9.

Good luck!

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**Author:** ![nickh](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/7ea924/32.png) [@nickh](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nickh)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 10:51am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/what-version/185115/3 "2010-03-15T10:51:53Z")

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Nick H. wrote:

> I am kinda new to ruby and new to ruby on rails. I originally had  
> 1.9.1 installed but that caused errors when trying to install gems and  
> compile them. I then installed 1.8.6 and then that has errors when  
> trying to use postgresql. What version is the best to install on a  
> windows machine where gems install and work and databases seem to work  
> correctly? I am running Windows 7. Is there a huge difference between  
> 1.9.1 and 1.8.7 and 1.8.6? Its kinda confusing for a person new to  
> rails and ruby. I am still teaching myself ruby so maybe i should just  
> grab the best version for that then worry about rails.

I’d suggest 1.8.7, since the vast majority of 1.8.6 code runs happily  
under 1.8.7, and 1.8.7 is the minimum which will be required for Rails  
3.

By staying away from 1.9 you’ll avoid a lot of headaches from libraries  
which have not been modified to be 1.9-compatible - and 1.9 is still  
changing anyway. That’s unless you want to be involved in the  
development and testing of those libraries.

One day, the situation may be reversed.