Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately I don't understand what (or perhaps how) to smoke perl, or how that would solve the problem? Doesn't that require that I build perl? Which is what I am having a problem with.

I tried to follow the first link in your update and got a page that says:

Aren't you supposed to be somewhere else?
[download]

To which I replied "Probably, but where?" but I didn't get an answer:)

The second link appears to be a patch for the build process. Should I apply this to my copy of the sources? Does that mean that everyone attempting this should do the same?

Sorry PodMaster. I realise that this is likely to come across as though I am having a go at you. I'm not. I'm just a little frustrated by the whole process.

I guess my point here is that I would willingly "smoke perl" if it would help (me or others), if I knew what that meant? And if I knew were I could find the instructions to get started. Maybe its just me that has a problem with finding this stuff, but there are still a whole host of things to do with getting involved in the development process that I see talked about, but the knowledge required to get involved seems to be imparted by osmosis.

As an example:There is/was a bugathon recently that I would have gladly taken part in, but the only information I could find (via a link in perlnews if memory serves), told me nothing about how to take part unless I could arrange to be at a place that I couldn't get to.

This seems fairly typical of my experiences. Everyone agrees that there is a lot that needs to be done and that if more people got involved, things could be improved, but every time I have tried, I get met by a blank wall devoid of guidance as to how to get started.

I've been following the p5p news groups for a while now as a passive observer. I would like to get involved, but the whole things seems to run on the basis of if you have a previous reputation there, then what you say may receive some level of import. Otherwise forget it, there is no way to contribute because anything you might suggest is dismissed. The only way 'in' seems to be to spend a year or two developing patches to things that you know will never be accepted and fighting flame wars against the vested interests until your name is known enough for someone 'in power' to decide to take you seriously. I may have a lot of time on my hands at the moment, but life is short. Too short to waste it pursuing this type of process.