[CentOS-docs] adding stuff to wiki

Wed Jan 14 20:47:39 UTC 2009
Max Hetrick <maxhetrick at verizon.net>

Marcus Moeller wrote:

> 'If you need perl modules, DO NOT use CPAN, as that will most likely
> break your perl installation. Please try to package the perl module
> with either cpan2rpm or use the spec template for perl modules from
> fedora-rpmdevtools. Same goes for python.'

Not everyone is capable of packaging, nor do they want to fiddle with 
packaging, though. Although I find it easier to install Perl modules 
that are already packaged, say through RPMForge, not every Perl module 
that I need is found in RPM form.

I've been using some Perl modules loaded on many systems from CPAN, 
because I can't find them already packaged, and I've not had any issues. 
I'm one of those that don't want to fiddle with repackaging, mainly 
because I don't understand packaging very well. I'm sure there are many 
others exactly the same, that would find tips on using CPAN helpful.

Just because it's not the way you do it, doesn't make it wrong for 
others to use. The whole point of the wiki is to have documentation to 
allow others to use CentOS better as a whole, so I see it as a benefit 
to have it documented on the wiki for others to read.

If it's known to break things, then just have a note that CPAN has been 
known to break your Perl instance. For users like myself, I've not had 
any problems loading the few CPAN modules that I use on my systems. I 
know I have little say in the matter, but it's just my experience and 
opinion.

Regards,
Max