It's possible to search prior art as thoroughly as one can, not find anything, code and post, and still get a "Don't re-invent the wheel!" admonition. Sometimes, I think we don't know we've reinvented something. There are many modules (many of which are excellent), often under arcane names or we don't know the cannonical name for the thing we just reinvented ...

Felonious: "What better way to learn real programming than to actually do real programming, knowing you have a working example to refer to if you are stalemated by a problem? "

++Very true when someone's in 'student mode'. I'm a big believer in reinventing wheels when it's convenient, useful, or necessary to do. But when speed and/or certainty are at stake, it's probably a luxury at best, a costly boondoggle at worst.

jeffa: "True, but even if someone realises their problem has already been solved, they may not choose the best solution."

Many times, for neophyte to middle-skill coders, this is a real problem. There are other threads here about speculated rating (popularity or XP-like) systems for CPAN modules, PM-like comment threads attached to each module for other's to review, etc. I for one, would like some type of solution, at least like the PM discussion threads. Trying to choose among competing modules can be confusing and time wasting (see above:). When in unfamiliar territory I normally search with Google and at PM for module discussion when I'm having some difficulty choosing a module. It would be useful to have much of it in one place.

BUU: "Unless of course *gasp* you write a better solution..."

Absolutely, and a rating or discussion system that was maintained and managed as well as PM is would be outstanding, since many of us may not always know why one is better than another.

(wow - Imagine trying to agree on the rating system validity) Ok, I recant - the rating system idea seems overly complex. I vote for multi-topic threaded discussions for each module...:)

Just my 0.02 meditation.