Yes ... I specifically said I had similar issues with Java because I didn't want to appear to be targeting Ruby. I also know python, and I've gotten stuck with

Yes ... I specifically said I had similar issues with Java because I didn't want to appear to be targeting Ruby. I also know python, and I've gotten stuck with PIP a couple times. I'd consider myself an expert with Maven, and I don't tend to have issues with that (anymore). And I think the model used for Maven (and Ivy) is perfect (a central repository of artifacts by GAV). But I've seen people give up due to the learning curve of learning Maven, and I agree that this is a hard problem in general. I think (as noted below) that it's an even harder problem for scripting languages that deliver packages via source ... and I don't have a solution to offer. Perhaps the best thing we can do is help each other out with the tools we're comfortable with? An apprenticeship program?