[futuremint]

Except that right now when someone wants to try your gem and doesn't have XCode installed... they can also still grab their install disc. Nothing precludes them from doing that instead of buying & downloading XCode 4.

Also... chances are really good that if they're trying out your gem, they've tried out other gems. They've probably already had to install XCode at some point in the past. If they're a developer used to using OS X, they probably installed XCode out of habit as soon as they got their new Mac booted up.

It is a little early to talk about the sky falling about this XCode thing until we see if a gcc toolchain is shipped as a free optional install on future hardware.

The day a Mac isn't shipped with gcc somewhere in the box (DVD, memory stick, HDD, SSD) is the day you might have a point.