gistfile1.txt

abejide@abejide-U90-U100:~$ gem install ruby-oci8
Fetching: ruby-oci8-2.0.6.gem (100%)
Building native extensions.  This could take a while...
ERROR:  Error installing ruby-oci8:
	ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.

        /home/abejide/.rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.2-p180/bin/ruby extconf.rb
checking for load library path... 
  LD_LIBRARY_PATH is not set.
  checking ld.so.conf... no
checking for cc... ok
checking for gcc... yes
checking for LP64... no
checking for ruby header... ok
*** extconf.rb failed ***
Could not create Makefile due to some reason, probably lack of
necessary libraries and/or headers.  Check the mkmf.log file for more
details.  You may need configuration options.

Provided configuration options:
	--with-opt-dir
	--without-opt-dir
	--with-opt-include
	--without-opt-include=${opt-dir}/include
	--with-opt-lib
	--without-opt-lib=${opt-dir}/lib
	--with-make-prog
	--without-make-prog
	--srcdir=.
	--curdir
	--ruby=/home/abejide/.rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.2-p180/bin/ruby
	--with-instant-client
	--without-instant-client
/home/abejide/.rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.2-p180/gems/ruby-oci8-2.0.6/ext/oci8/oraconf.rb:924:in `get_home': RuntimeError (RuntimeError)
	from /home/abejide/.rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.2-p180/gems/ruby-oci8-2.0.6/ext/oci8/oraconf.rb:711:in `initialize'
	from /home/abejide/.rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.2-p180/gems/ruby-oci8-2.0.6/ext/oci8/oraconf.rb:345:in `new'
	from /home/abejide/.rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.2-p180/gems/ruby-oci8-2.0.6/ext/oci8/oraconf.rb:345:in `get'
	from extconf.rb:18:in `<main>'
---------------------------------------------------
Error Message:
  Set the environment variable ORACLE_HOME if Oracle Full Client.
  Append the path of Oracle client libraries to LD_LIBRARY_PATH if Oracle Instant Client.
  
Backtrace:
  /home/abejide/.rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.2-p180/gems/ruby-oci8-2.0.6/ext/oci8/oraconf.rb:924:in `get_home'
  /home/abejide/.rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.2-p180/gems/ruby-oci8-2.0.6/ext/oci8/oraconf.rb:711:in `initialize'
  /home/abejide/.rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.2-p180/gems/ruby-oci8-2.0.6/ext/oci8/oraconf.rb:345:in `new'
  /home/abejide/.rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.2-p180/gems/ruby-oci8-2.0.6/ext/oci8/oraconf.rb:345:in `get'
  extconf.rb:18:in `<main>'
---------------------------------------------------
See:
 * http://ruby-oci8.rubyforge.org/en/HowToInstall.html
 * http://ruby-oci8.rubyforge.org/en/ReportInstallProblem.html



Gem files will remain installed in /home/abejide/.rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.2-p180/gems/ruby-oci8-2.0.6 for inspection.
Results logged to /home/abejide/.rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.2-p180/gems/ruby-oci8-2.0.6/ext/oci8/gem_make.out

Seth, the issue is with LD_LIBRARY_PATH not been set correctly on not in the environment variables, I have installled it so many times afterwards, I can share knowledge if you are stuck