2008/9/30 Michael G Schwern <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > That said, people choose based on convenience, not abstract, long term safety. > So it's for the best that Module::Build absorb every convenience feature > from MI.
For the record, I concur entirely with this solution. Module::Install was a step forwards for adding new functionality to configuration scripts given the alternatives. Since these arguments often go in circles, a quick reminder where we are right now. ExtUtils::MakeMaker Change Solution: Never change, bug fix as lightly as possible. Short Term: Just Works, authors need lots of if ( $] >= 5.005 ) cruft Long Term: Slow death by obsolescence. Module::Build Change Solution: All users hand-upgrade without being told when Short Term: Modules don't build on the default Perl install Long Term: New features can't be used + OMGIBROKECPAN kills CPAN till every user upgrades. Module::Install Change Solution: Bundle everything, assume the author releases a lot Short Term: Works Fine Long Term: Old Releases go toxic + OMGIBROKECPAN kills CPAN till every author upgrades (or the modules are taken over). configure_requires: Change Solution: Client knows when to upgrade toolchain Short Term: Needs 100% support from toolchain, THEN we tell users "just upgrade Bundle::CPAN" (a current somewhat learned behaviour when installs break anyway) Long Term: configure_requires available in the default install from 5.8.9 and 5.10.1. Just Works. I'd be more than happy to shift Module::Install over to Module::Build, or (more likely) to have a clone of the far nicer interface that sits on Module::Build. It's just that Module::Build fails now, and Module::Install fails later (but more dramatically). And I'm biased towards things working now, as long as everyone is clear that it's just a workaround now, till the better option is delivered. Now that M:B and EU:MM and M:I and CPAN.pm all support configure_requires, it is safe to start telling CPAN.pm users "just upgrade your Bundle::CPAN". I just don't want to make a lot of noise about this until we finally get CPANPLUS over the line, and have everything synced to core for the next releases. Jos says that CPANPLUS svn is fairly close to being stable, and wants people to test it. The faster we can get the next CPANPLUS stable over the line, and everything synced back to core, the faster we can start the clock on the 1 year that we still need to tread cautiously but generally can just tell people to upgrade Bundle::CPAN. Adam K