Rubygems doesn't add /var/lib/gems/1.8/bin to $PATH?

My question is, why does rubygems on Ubuntu not add /var/lib/gems/1.8/bin to $PATH ?

I see in the

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RubyOnRails#Installing%20RubyGems

page that it says you have to add it yourself, but I don't understand why there is开发者_JS百科 an extra step.

Testing it on a Debian system, rubygems does does not make the modification to $PATH automatically.

I'm wondering if this is a bug, or if I'm misunderstanding something - I know Ubuntu and Debian have many differences, perhaps this is just one of them.

I posted the question to answers.launchpad.net but have not yet gotten any response.

RubyGems never adds anything to the $PATH, whether on Ubuntu or otherwise. Nor does APT (or any other packaging system I know).

The $PATH variable is clearly in the user's domain. No program should ever mess with it.

See https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gems/+bug/145267. Basically, the Ubuntu team has known about this problem for years, but a bunch of infighting has prevented any progress from being made.