I'm curious to know why most CPAN modules/packages are not only large but dependent on lots of other smaller packages.
Can there not be small, stand-alone CPAN packages? If I need to use package XYZ and it happens not to be installed in the server, I could easily upload that package to the server, thus bypassing the need to persuade the hosting company to install the particular package.
Or is there a way to install the needed package within the cgi-bin directory under your hosting account?