Isn't the C extension issue the same for other languages, eg Python or PHP? (I really don't know, I'm not that familiar with Ruby internals) I think this issue

Isn't the C extension issue the same for other languages, eg Python or PHP? (I really don't know, I'm not that familiar with Ruby internals) I think this issue, like Capistrano's, would benefit from having more Ruby coders, which in itself might require a more newbie-friendly approach from the community. (BTW I hope it doesn't seem like I'm criticizing Jamis' choice - actually I think he's doing the right thing in the current situation, just that if there were more Ruby coders around he might not be forced into choosing this path)