ok, Perl6:: docs might as well be on CPAN (updated)

slanning on 2009-01-22T11:10:43

UPDATE: You're right, I was taking it/things too seriously. $self->panic--

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(Note: The following is just my humble opinion, and I don't mean to single out the authors of Perl6::Cookbook or Perl6::Doc. The Subject isn't worded too provocatively, is it? :> )

I don't think it's appropriate for modules like Perl6::Cookbook to go on CPAN. First, I don't think it's a good idea mixing Perl5 and Perl6 code on CPAN unless/until there are clear ways to distinguish them. By that, I don't mean that the module begins with Perl6, for example, but that the tools like the `cpan` shell are able to ignore Perl6 code (or compatibility issues are otherwise resolved). On the other hand, Perl6::Cookbook doesn't actually install code.

And that is my main problem; it is not a useable module. Its content is all under eg/, so it doesn't even install POD files. Now, several distributions have their own cookbooks (Moose, Jifty, ...), but that's different because they are actually documentation of the module, and we certainly don't want to discourage that. Some distributions even separate the docs from the code, like YAML::Manual, but again I don't think that's such a big deal (although that one in particular isn't nearly complete :) because it's associated to some module; it could be especially useful when those are optional dependencies of the code distribution.

So I think Perl6::Cookbook is problematic, at least as it's currently implemented, but there is another similar "module" that I'm not so sure about: Perl6::Doc. It contains the apocalypses, synopses, exigeses for Perl 6. I'm not sure that should be on CPAN, but on the other hand at least it installs POD files. Also, it's sort of like an informal RFC. But on the other hand, what use are they being on CPAN since they are already on the pages I linked to?

(Note: I considered uploading this blog entry to CPAN, but decided not to.)


What's the problem?

petdance on 2009-01-22T15:35:06

I read why you wouldn't put those modules on CPAN, but I don't understand what you think the problem is. Is there some problem I'm missing?

What would you like to have happen? Should those modules be removed from CPAN, perhaps by force?

I don't see the problem either.

rblackwe on 2009-01-22T17:29:36

It is the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network.

And the CPAN FAQ says:

What is CPAN?

CPAN is the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network, a large collection of Perl software and documentation. You can begin exploring from either http://www.cpan.org/, http://www.perl.com/CPAN/ or any of the mirrors listed at http://www.cpan.org/SITES.html.

http://cpan.org/misc/cpan-faq.html#What_is_CPAN

So if a blog posting is documenting something maybe it should go on CPAN.

Robert

Who cares?

Aristotle on 2009-01-22T19:30:51

Honestly.

You won't like the answer

gabor on 2009-01-22T21:18:09

On the other hand, Perl6::Cookbook doesn't actually install code.

That's a bug. When fixed it will install the examples written in Perl 6 :-)