gems/Rails issues on etch

["Bakki Kudva" <bakki.kudva@gmail.com>]

Hi Rubyists,

I just upgraded one of my machines to etch to see what impact it would
have on Ruby and in particular Rails development.

I am finding that my gem/Rails env is broken. For example when I try
and install the rmagick gem I get:

configure:1667: $? = 0
configure:1669: gcc -v </dev/null >&5
Using built-in specs.
Target: i486-linux-gnu
Configured with: ../src/configure -v
--enable-languages=c,c++,fortran,objc,obj-c++,treelang --prefix=/usr
--enable-shared --with-system-zlib --libexecdir=/usr/lib
--without-included-gettext --enable-threads=posix --enable-nls
--program-suffix=-4.1 --enable-__cxa_atexit --enable-clocale=gnu
--enable-libstdcxx-debug --enable-mpfr --with-tune=i686
--enable-checking=release i486-linux-gnu
Thread model: posix
gcc version 4.1.2 20061115 (prerelease) (Debian 4.1.1-21)
configure:1672: $? = 0
configure:1674: gcc -V </dev/null >&5
gcc: '-V' option must have argument
configure:1677: $? = 1
configure:1700: checking for C compiler default output file name
configure:1703: gcc    conftest.c  >&5
/usr/bin/ld: crt1.o: No such file: No such file or directory
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status
configure:1706: $? = 1
configure: failed program was:
| /* confdefs.h.  */
|
| #define PACKAGE_NAME "RMagick"
| #define PACKAGE_TARNAME "RMagick-1.15.4.tar.gz"
| #define PACKAGE_VERSION "1.15.4"
| #define PACKAGE_STRING "RMagick 1.15.4"
| #define PACKAGE_BUGREPORT "rmagick@rubyforge.org"
| /* end confdefs.h.  */
|
| int
| main ()
| {
|
|   ;
|   return 0;
| }
configure:1745: error: C compiler cannot create executables
See `config.log' for more details.

So it appears that gcc 4.1 does not like this gem or vice versa. I am
finding the same with the mongrel gem.

On Sarge I had compiled rubygems  myself and so all gems used to be in
/usr/lib/ruby/site-ruby/gems(the Ruby way). This time I decided to try
using the Debian rubygems package. (the Debian way).

Within Rails I find some plugins like acts_as_attachment not working.
Haven't even gotten around to figure out what the problem there is.

All of this makes me wonder:

1: Is there a problem with gcc 4.1 and gems which need compilation,
Should I use gcc-3.x ?
2: Is there a fundamental problem with using the Debian rubygems vs.
compiling it?
3: Is there a path problem with the Debian rubygems? - because mongrel
though it complained about gcc did complete and install but I cannot
invoke it with mongrel_rails start which gives me 'not found' error.

I know there are probably a lot of overlapping issues here, I am just
trying to sort them out and am at a loss where to begin. I would very
much appreciate any pointers and suggestions.

Thank you,

bakki