Recently, I needed to write a quick proof of concept Windows app. Not wanting to install Windows on my Mac or work on the POS Windows box over there (points to shitty box), I went in search of a way to write Windows apps on OS X.

I found Tar2RubyScript, RubyScript2Exe and wxRuby which let me use Ruby, any gems I needed and creates an app with native widgets. As a final step you can 'compile' on the Windows machine and it creates a (rather large) Windows executable file. Once the app is bundled, it can be distributed to any machine without the need for Ruby to be installed.

There was a hitch, however. Tar2RubyScript and RubyScript2Exe no longer worked and hadn't been updated for a few years.

Well, now they work:

• Tar2RubyScript
• RubyScript2Exe

Enjoy.