It will take less of your time if:

If the module is complex, you will probably spend less time in the long run if you provide good documentation, including tutorials. Of course, there's always the users who don't read any documentation you give them, or who don't understand what you've written.

Of my three CPAN modules, one (Algorithm::Diff) has a (relatively) simple interface, one (Archive::Zip) is complex and has a big interface, and the last (Class::Prototyped has a relatively simple interface, but no one seems to be able to understand its use.

Of the three, Archive::Zip takes most of my support time (it is also the most popular). I didn't realize how popular it was until CPAN screwed up their index generation and CPAN.pm started telling people to contact me for distributions <g>.

I would estimate that I have to answer 15 emails per week about the three modules. Occasionally I get one that causes me to have to work (like adding code to Archive::Zip that would repair damage caused by the Sircam virus).

In reply to Re: Module authors & time demands by bikeNomad
in thread Module authors & time demands by perigeeV

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