The program consists of a set of modules, a CGI script, a resource directory (containing e.g. style sheets), and a data store. It needs a two-step install process: step one, for the modules, will happen once per site; step two, for the resources in the web directory, may happen more than once per site.

My first choice for step one is of course to distribute it via CPAN, but there are a couple of things I'm not sure about. Most of my question boils down to: where's the dividing line between a module that should be distributed via CPAN and an application (as an extreme: Slash) that's best distributed alone?

Brian Ingerson uploaded his CGI::Kwiki to CPAN. The package installs 'kwiki-install' into /usr/bin; it's a program that creates scripts and resources for a wiki in the current directory. I've not seen another CPAN module that does this, but neither have I installed a large number of modules. It's a nice way to solve the problem, and one I'd like to emulate if it doesn't ruffle any feathers, CPAN-wise.

CGI::Taskcard is a cute name and descriptive, but there are two reasons I want to ditch it. First, Taskcard is a registered trademark for a product that tries to solve a similar problem. Second, CGI::Taskcard doesn't really roll off the tongue. I bring this up, again, for CPAN's sake. I could call the program "legLess's Uber Task Master" and upload it to CPAN as 'LUTM' in the root namespace but I'd be driving by, and ignoring, many warning signs (though again, Kwiki is soon to do the same thing).

I know that good answers may be found on the CPAN modulelist mailing list, but from what I've seen of it an interesting discussion is more likely to happen here..

My plan for install step two is to have a README with instructions for creating the data store (a MySQL database for now), then an install program/script that creates the resources in the web server directory. This seems to be a pretty standard way of doing it; does anyone have thoughts?

Thanks, all.