I use MacPorts (mostly) to build the Locomotive bundles, but it's not necessary if you're planning a fairly basic ruby/rails install. On 10.4.x server all that you need for a basic rails install is readline, ruby, rails, mongrel, and mysql bindings.
However, if you are going to want to use ImageMagick/RMagick, I would definitely go the MacPorts route (some of the image libraries can be a serious pain to build from scratch).
Other suggestions:
1. Whatever recipe you use, don't bother with lighttpd+pcre+fastcgi, just install mongrel.
2. Don't follow any recipe that has you "fixing" Apple's ruby. Sooner or later Apple will mess up your fix with an update or some application will have a script that expects the version of ruby that comes stock with Apple.
by Ryan Raaum — Oct 18
However, if you are going to want to use ImageMagick/RMagick, I would definitely go the MacPorts route (some of the image libraries can be a serious pain to build from scratch).
Other suggestions:
1. Whatever recipe you use, don't bother with lighttpd+pcre+fastcgi, just install mongrel.
2. Don't follow any recipe that has you "fixing" Apple's ruby. Sooner or later Apple will mess up your fix with an update or some application will have a script that expects the version of ruby that comes stock with Apple.