Steps to setup a reasonably sane development environment on OS X

gistfile1.txt

Xcode
  http://developer.apple.com/technology/xcode.html
    [OR]
  Mac OS X install disc 2

GNU wget
  http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/wget/wget-latest.tar.gz

Git
  http://code.google.com/p/git-osx-installer/

RubyGems
  sudo gem update --system

MySQL
  http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/mysql/5.0.html#macosx-dmg
  sudo env ARCHFLAGS="-arch i386" gem install mysql -- --with-mysql-config=/usr/local/mysql/bin/mysql_config

PostgreSQL
  http://www.postgresql.org/download/macosx
  export PATH=/Library/PostgreSQL/8.3/bin:$PATH (IMPORTANT -- so apps can find pg_config)
  gem install postgres
  
Sphinx
  http://sphinxsearch.com/downloads.html
  ./configure --with-pgsql

GNU Aspell
  http://aspell.net/
  gem install raspell

Phusion Passenger (Apache module)
  System Preferences -> Sharing -> enable Web Sharing
  gem install passenger (follow instructions)
  mate /etc/apache2/httpd.conf
  Preference pane: http://www.fngtps.com/passenger-preference-pane
  sudo apachectl graceful

  # manual adding of Directory service entries (usually you don't need this)
  sudo dscl localhost -create /Local/Default/Hosts/<foo>.local IPAddress 127.0.0.1

Essential gems
  gem install BlueCloth FooBarWidget-mizuho RedCloth ZenTest addressable \
  bcrypt-ruby bj capistrano chronic cucumber curb dchelimsky-rspec dchelimsky-rspec-rails \
  defunkt-github dm-aggregates dm-core dm-migrations dm-sweatshop dm-timestamps dm-types \
  dm-validations do_sqlite3 erubis eventmachine evilchelu-braid chrisk-fakeweb faker \
  foca-storyteller haml hpricot jchris-couchrest jeremymcanally-context jeremymcanally-matchy \
  jeremymcanally-pending jnunemaker-httparty json launchy map_by_method mattetti-googlecharts \
  mechanize merb mislav-hanna  mislav-will_paginate mocha mofo mojombo-grit mongrel osx-trash \
  passenger pelle-rspactor progressbar rack radiant rails rake rdoc rest-client riddle \
  ruby-debug ruby-openid ruby-prof ryanb-acts-as-list sake scrobbler sequel sinatra \
  spicycode-rcov sqlite3-ruby staticmatic technicalpickles-jeweler test-spec \
  thoughtbot-factory_girl thoughtbot-paperclip thoughtbot-shoulda uuidtools webrat wycats-thor

CouchDB
  Install Macports to keep your sanity
    export PATH=$PATH:/opt/local/bin
    export MANPATH=$MANPATH:/opt/local/share/man
    export INFOPATH=$INFOPATH:/opt/local/share/info
  port install icu erlang spidermonkey
  svn co http://svn.eu.apache.org/repos/asf/incubator/couchdb/trunk CouchDB
  sudo couchdb -> http://localhost:5984/_utils/

ImageMagick
  OS X precompiled binary @ http://www.imagemagick.org/script/binary-releases.php
  cd /usr/local && tar -xzf <download-url>
  ln -vs ImageMagick-6.4.8/ ImageMagick
  export MAGICK_HOME=/usr/local/ImageMagick
  export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH=$MAGICK_HOME/lib
  export PATH=$MAGICK_HOME/bin:$PATH

gistfile2.txt

# sample .gemrc: github in sources + don't auto-generate docs
--- 
:verbose: true
gem: --no-ri --no-rdoc
:update_sources: true
:sources: 
- http://gems.rubyforge.org
- http://gems.github.com
:backtrace: false
:bulk_threshold: 1000
:benchmark: false