# What's the best cross platform approach (Windows/Mac) to deploy a simple service/daemon (with simpl **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [September 15, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/whats-the-best-cross-platform-approach-windows-mac-to-deploy-a-simple-service-daemon-with-simpl/175517 "2009-09-15T03:05:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![greg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@greg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/greg)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/whats-the-best-cross-platform-approach-windows-mac-to-deploy-a-simple-service-daemon-with-simpl/175517/1 "2009-09-15T03:05:37Z")
Hi, I’m getting confused re the range of options for development & deploying some simple code & UI to both Windows & Mac. Can anyone assist re a good direction here. I do like Ruby, however if it makes sense to move away from this (e.g. java, c#) then so be it. Which development option would people suggest for this? REQUIREMENTS 1. Support for Windows & Mac 2. The installation should be one-click and package all required dependencies as much as possible. 3. Scheduling capability required - so either via (a) installed as a service/daemon, or (b) ability for installation to schedule periodic call to script (former is preferred) 4. Functionality component requires - ability to access/parse web-sites, and then ability to make HTTP(S) calls out to my site to store parsed data. So heave on HTTP(S) methods. Proxy support required in app, so ability for user to enter host/port/username/password for the proxy server. DEV OPTIONS ?? - This is where I need help/advice. Some of the many options that come to mind: 1. Develop in Ruby and then find packaging product to create Windows & Mac installation packages - not sure how doable this is yet? Especially if I need the installation to effectively install as a service. 2. Develop in Java for cross-platform? but then needs users to have installed JRE? 3. Develop as Firefox addon? I’m not across this, but even if you can write custom code, then the issue would be firefox would have to be running I guess. 4. Develop windows & Mac versions separately, for example using Visual Studio Express to develop the windows version (assuming it can do HTTP work & create packages for installing services). What would people suggest here? (would be nice to write once, push a button and then get the Mac & Windows installation packages spat out) Thanks ---
**Author:** ![greg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@greg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/greg)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 7:30am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/whats-the-best-cross-platform-approach-windows-mac-to-deploy-a-simple-service-daemon-with-simpl/175517/2 "2009-09-15T07:30:18Z")
i would create separate functions for each Os, set up a vm network… windows xp, vista and mac… just to test your scripts… if os = ‘windows xp’ then # perform these functions else if os = ‘osx mac’ then # perform tghese functions …etc… this is just to give you a idea of how i would do it… its improper… i hope it helps… ---
**Author:** ![greg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@greg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/greg)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 7:43am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/whats-the-best-cross-platform-approach-windows-mac-to-deploy-a-simple-service-daemon-with-simpl/175517/3 "2009-09-15T07:43:38Z")
Hi, There are many ways to get the information about the information about the operating system and implement the logic as 1. get the system info at ENV variable ENV.to\_hash.each do |key, value| puts(“#{key} - #{value}”) end 2. use ‘rbconfig’ require ‘rbconfig’ case Config::CONFIG[‘host\_os’] when /mswin|windows/i puts “its windows” else puts “Its not!” end On Tue, Sep 15, 2009 at 11:01 AM, Bigmac T. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > …etc… > > ## this is just to give you a idea of how i would do it… its improper… i hope it helps… > > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). ## – Thanks and Regards Saurabh P. +91-9922071155 skype: sorab\_pune yahoo & gtalk: saurabh.purnaye msn: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid ---
**Author:** ![greg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@greg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/greg)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 3:44pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/whats-the-best-cross-platform-approach-windows-mac-to-deploy-a-simple-service-daemon-with-simpl/175517/4 "2009-09-16T15:44:13Z")
On Monday 14 September 2009 08:05:15 pm Greg H. wrote: > 1. The installation should be one-click and package all required > DEV OPTIONS ?? - This is where I need help/advice. Some of the many > options that come to mind: > 2. Develop in Ruby and then find packaging product to create Windows & > Mac installation packages - not sure how doable this is yet? > Especially if I need the installation to effectively install as a > service. > 3. Develop in Java for cross-platform? but then needs users to have > installed JRE? Most have it installed, and rawr might handle that. Oh, and use JRuby, not Java. Another possibility is to make it a pure web service, but you haven’t given us enough information: > 1. Scheduling capability required If it wasn’t for that, I’d strongly suggest a web service. As it is, I still might. Not all apps can be web apps, but for those who do, you pretty much don’t have that deployment question – people “install” your website by visiting it. Worst case, you tell them to install Firefox, so you don’t have to support IE…