It's not about the disk-weight of the 17 modules. Nor the time and effort required to download and install them. Though for all the good it would do him in solving this particular problem, why not also throw in all of Template::Toolkit while you're at it? And how about throwing in 17 MB (1700+ files in 230+ folders) of BioPerl also. If it is only disk-space, either would be about as useful.

It is about the intellectual weight of 17 modules. About the 87 KB of html for the top level module documentation that gives one line descriptions and no examples of each of the 90 methods that he doesn't need as well as the 2 he might. And umpteen more pages of FAQs and Tutorials and mailing list archives that he'll need, to work out which are the 2 that he might use; and how to use them; and how to configure his system, post installation, so that he can use them.

It's about not recommending something like Date::Tiny which if he went the route you suggested would be all he needed. With its seven methods and lightweight POD, it would do everything he would need.

It's about over-engineered solutions that arise from over-specified problem descriptions based around the two greatest evils in software development today: What-if pessimism and Wouldn't-it-be-nice-if optimism.