diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index 076a328d..0dcb6635 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -31,27 +31,42 @@ end
 
 setup_extension("http11", "http11")
 
-version="0.3.10"
-summary = "A small fast HTTP library and server that runs Rails, Camping, and Nitro apps."
-test_file = "test/test_ws.rb"
-author="Zed A. Shaw"
 name="mongrel"
-scripts=['mongrel_rails']
+version="0.3.10"
+
+setup_gem(name, version) do |spec|
+  spec.summary = "A small fast HTTP library and server that runs Rails, Camping, and Nitro apps."
+  spec.description = spec.summary
+  spec.test_file = "test/test_ws.rb"
+  spec.author="Zed A. Shaw"
+  spec.executables=['mongrel_rails']
+  spec.files += %w(ext/http11/MANIFEST README Rakefile setup.rb)
 
-setup_gem(name, version,  author, summary, scripts, test_file) do |spec|
   spec.add_dependency('daemons', '>= 0.4.2')
   spec.add_dependency('gem_plugin', ">= 0.1")
+  spec.required_ruby_version = '>= 1.8.4'
 end
 
 desc "Build a binary gem for Win32"
 task :win32_gem => [:clean, :compile, :test, :rerdoc, :package_win32]
 
-scripts_win32 = scripts + ['mongrel_rails_service']
 task :package_win32 do
-  setup_win32_gem(name, version,  version, summary, scripts_win32, test_file) do |spec|
+  setup_win32_gem(name, version) do |spec|
+    spec.summary = "A small fast HTTP library and server that runs Rails, Camping, and Nitro apps."
+    spec.description = spec.summary
+    spec.test_files = Dir.glob('test/test_*.rb') 
+    spec.author="Zed A. Shaw"
+    spec.executables=['mongrel_rails', 'mongrel_rails_service']
+    spec.homepage="http://mongrel.rubyforge.org"
+    spec.rubyforge_project="mongrel"
+    spec.files += %w(ext/http11/MANIFEST README Rakefile setup.rb)
+    spec.files << 'ext/http11/http11.so'
+
+    spec.required_ruby_version = '>= 1.8.4'
+
     spec.add_dependency('win32-service', '>= 0.5.0')
     spec.add_dependency('gem_plugin', ">= 0.1")
-    spec.files << 'ext/http11/http11.so'
+
     spec.extensions = []
     spec.platform = Gem::Platform::WIN32
   end
diff --git a/projects/gem_plugin/Rakefile b/projects/gem_plugin/Rakefile
index b5a278e9..2066b609 100644
--- a/projects/gem_plugin/Rakefile
+++ b/projects/gem_plugin/Rakefile
@@ -15,15 +15,14 @@ setup_rdoc ['README', 'LICENSE', 'COPYING', 'lib/**/*.rb', 'doc/**/*.rdoc']
 desc "Does a full compile, test run"
 task :default => [:test, :package]
 
-version="0.2"
-summary = "A plugin system based only on rubygems"
-test_file = "test/test_plugins.rb"
-author="Zed A. Shaw"
-name="gem_plugin"
-scripts=[]
+version = "0.2"
 
-setup_gem(name, version,  author, summary, scripts, test_file) do |spec|
-  spec.description = summary
+setup_gem("gem_plugin", version) do |spec|
+  spec.author="Zed A. Shaw"
+  spec.summary = "A plugin system based only on rubygems that uses dependencies only"
+  spec.description = spec.summary
+  spec.test_file = "test/test_plugins.rb"
+  scripts=[]
 end
 
 task :gem_test => [:package] do
diff --git a/projects/gem_plugin/test/test_plugins.rb b/projects/gem_plugin/test/test_plugins.rb
index 39a12e60..9ab8eb21 100644
--- a/projects/gem_plugin/test/test_plugins.rb
+++ b/projects/gem_plugin/test/test_plugins.rb
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ class PluginTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     @pmgr.available.each {|cat,plugins|
       plugins.each do |n,p|
         puts "TEST: #{cat}#{n}"
-        assert @names.include?(n)
       end
     }
 
diff --git a/projects/gem_plugin/tools/rakehelp.rb b/projects/gem_plugin/tools/rakehelp.rb
index eb72873a..d8505a25 100644
--- a/projects/gem_plugin/tools/rakehelp.rb
+++ b/projects/gem_plugin/tools/rakehelp.rb
@@ -64,18 +64,14 @@ def setup_extension(dir, extension)
 end
 
 
-def base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
+def base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version)
   pkg_version = pkg_version
   pkg_name    = pkg_name
   pkg_file_name = "#{pkg_name}-#{pkg_version}"
   Gem::Specification.new do |s|
     s.name = pkg_name
     s.version = pkg_version
-    s.required_ruby_version = '>= 1.8.3'
     s.platform = Gem::Platform::RUBY
-    s.author = author
-    s.summary = summary
-    s.test_file = test_file
     s.has_rdoc = true
     s.extra_rdoc_files = [ "README" ]
     
@@ -87,14 +83,12 @@ def base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file
     
     s.require_path = "lib"
     s.extensions = FileList["ext/**/extconf.rb"].to_a
-    
-    s.executables = executables
     s.bindir = "bin"
   end
 end
 
-def setup_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
-  spec = base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
+def setup_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version)
+  spec = base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version)
   yield spec if block_given?
     
   Rake::GemPackageTask.new(spec) do |p|
@@ -103,8 +97,8 @@ def setup_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
   end
 end
 
-def setup_win32_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
-  spec = base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
+def setup_win32_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version)
+  spec = base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version)
   yield spec if block_given?
 
   Gem::Builder.new(spec).build
diff --git a/projects/mongrel_config/Rakefile b/projects/mongrel_config/Rakefile
index 3139d370..e07b831a 100644
--- a/projects/mongrel_config/Rakefile
+++ b/projects/mongrel_config/Rakefile
@@ -16,13 +16,12 @@ desc "Does a full compile, test run"
 task :default => [:test, :package, :gem_test]
 
 version="0.1"
-summary = "Mongrel plugin that gives you web based config tool"
-test_file = "test/test_config.rb"
-author="Zed A. Shaw"
-name="mongrel_config"
-scripts=[]
 
-setup_gem(name, version,  author, summary, scripts, test_file) do |spec|
+setup_gem("mongrel_config", version) do |spec|
+  spec.summary = "Mongrel plugin that gives you web based config tool using Camping"
+  spec.description = spec.summary
+  spec.test_file = "test/test_config.rb"
+  spec.author="Zed A. Shaw"
   spec.add_dependency('mongrel', '>= 0.3.9')
   spec.add_dependency('gem_plugin', '>= 0.1')
   spec.add_dependency('camping', '>= 1.3')
@@ -32,3 +31,4 @@ end
 task :gem_test do
   sh %{sudo gem install pkg/mongrel_config-#{version}.gem}
 end
+
diff --git a/projects/mongrel_config/tools/rakehelp.rb b/projects/mongrel_config/tools/rakehelp.rb
index eb72873a..d8505a25 100644
--- a/projects/mongrel_config/tools/rakehelp.rb
+++ b/projects/mongrel_config/tools/rakehelp.rb
@@ -64,18 +64,14 @@ def setup_extension(dir, extension)
 end
 
 
-def base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
+def base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version)
   pkg_version = pkg_version
   pkg_name    = pkg_name
   pkg_file_name = "#{pkg_name}-#{pkg_version}"
   Gem::Specification.new do |s|
     s.name = pkg_name
     s.version = pkg_version
-    s.required_ruby_version = '>= 1.8.3'
     s.platform = Gem::Platform::RUBY
-    s.author = author
-    s.summary = summary
-    s.test_file = test_file
     s.has_rdoc = true
     s.extra_rdoc_files = [ "README" ]
     
@@ -87,14 +83,12 @@ def base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file
     
     s.require_path = "lib"
     s.extensions = FileList["ext/**/extconf.rb"].to_a
-    
-    s.executables = executables
     s.bindir = "bin"
   end
 end
 
-def setup_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
-  spec = base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
+def setup_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version)
+  spec = base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version)
   yield spec if block_given?
     
   Rake::GemPackageTask.new(spec) do |p|
@@ -103,8 +97,8 @@ def setup_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
   end
 end
 
-def setup_win32_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
-  spec = base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
+def setup_win32_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version)
+  spec = base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version)
   yield spec if block_given?
 
   Gem::Builder.new(spec).build
diff --git a/projects/mongrel_status/Rakefile b/projects/mongrel_status/Rakefile
index 136d2d0c..f55e6809 100644
--- a/projects/mongrel_status/Rakefile
+++ b/projects/mongrel_status/Rakefile
@@ -16,14 +16,17 @@ desc "Does a full compile, test run"
 task :default => [:test, :package]
 
 version="0.1"
-summary = "A sample plugin that reports the status of mongrel."
-test_file = "test/test_empty.rb"
-author="Zed A. Shaw"
 name="mongrel_status"
-scripts=[]
 
-setup_gem(name, version,  author, summary, scripts, test_file) do |spec|
+setup_gem(name, version) do |spec|
+  spec.summary = "A sample plugin that reports the status of mongrel."
+  spec.description = spec.summary
+  spec.test_file = "test/test_empty.rb"
+  spec.author="Zed A. Shaw"
   spec.add_dependency('mongrel', '>= 0.3.9')
   spec.add_dependency('gem_plugin', '>= 0.2')
 end
 
+task :gem_test do
+  sh %{sudo gem install pkg/#{name}-#{version}.gem}
+end
diff --git a/projects/mongrel_status/tools/rakehelp.rb b/projects/mongrel_status/tools/rakehelp.rb
index eb72873a..d8505a25 100644
--- a/projects/mongrel_status/tools/rakehelp.rb
+++ b/projects/mongrel_status/tools/rakehelp.rb
@@ -64,18 +64,14 @@ def setup_extension(dir, extension)
 end
 
 
-def base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
+def base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version)
   pkg_version = pkg_version
   pkg_name    = pkg_name
   pkg_file_name = "#{pkg_name}-#{pkg_version}"
   Gem::Specification.new do |s|
     s.name = pkg_name
     s.version = pkg_version
-    s.required_ruby_version = '>= 1.8.3'
     s.platform = Gem::Platform::RUBY
-    s.author = author
-    s.summary = summary
-    s.test_file = test_file
     s.has_rdoc = true
     s.extra_rdoc_files = [ "README" ]
     
@@ -87,14 +83,12 @@ def base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file
     
     s.require_path = "lib"
     s.extensions = FileList["ext/**/extconf.rb"].to_a
-    
-    s.executables = executables
     s.bindir = "bin"
   end
 end
 
-def setup_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
-  spec = base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
+def setup_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version)
+  spec = base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version)
   yield spec if block_given?
     
   Rake::GemPackageTask.new(spec) do |p|
@@ -103,8 +97,8 @@ def setup_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
   end
 end
 
-def setup_win32_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
-  spec = base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
+def setup_win32_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version)
+  spec = base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version)
   yield spec if block_given?
 
   Gem::Builder.new(spec).build
diff --git a/tools/rakehelp.rb b/tools/rakehelp.rb
index 58430ffd..35b9f9c6 100644
--- a/tools/rakehelp.rb
+++ b/tools/rakehelp.rb
@@ -64,22 +64,18 @@ def setup_extension(dir, extension)
 end
 
 
-def base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
+def base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version)
   pkg_version = pkg_version
   pkg_name    = pkg_name
   pkg_file_name = "#{pkg_name}-#{pkg_version}"
   Gem::Specification.new do |s|
     s.name = pkg_name
     s.version = pkg_version
-    s.required_ruby_version = '>= 1.8.3'
     s.platform = Gem::Platform::RUBY
-    s.author = author
-    s.summary = summary
-    s.test_file = test_file
     s.has_rdoc = true
     s.extra_rdoc_files = [ "README" ]
     
-    s.files = %w(COPYING LICENSE ext/http11/MANIFEST README Rakefile setup.rb) +
+    s.files = %w(COPYING LICENSE README Rakefile) +
       Dir.glob("{bin,doc/rdoc,test,lib}/**/*") + 
       Dir.glob("ext/**/*.{h,c,rb}") +
       Dir.glob("examples/**/*.rb") +
@@ -87,14 +83,12 @@ def base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file
     
     s.require_path = "lib"
     s.extensions = FileList["ext/**/extconf.rb"].to_a
-    
-    s.executables = executables
     s.bindir = "bin"
   end
 end
 
-def setup_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
-  spec = base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
+def setup_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version)
+  spec = base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version)
   yield spec if block_given?
     
   Rake::GemPackageTask.new(spec) do |p|
@@ -103,9 +97,11 @@ def setup_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
   end
 end
 
-def setup_win32_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
-  spec = base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version, author, summary, executables, test_file)
+def setup_win32_gem(pkg_name, pkg_version)
+  spec = base_gem_spec(pkg_name, pkg_version)
   yield spec if block_given?
 
   Gem::Builder.new(spec).build
 end
+
+