Modules that use XS links to C are a good case in point. They are often difficult to install, with or without CPAN, and no amount of testing is going to get rid of all the difficulties, it's just a hairy system. Many other languages have the capability to dlopen() C libraries and make arbitrary calls against them; I wish Perl were able to do that. If it could, many of the uses of XS could be avoided, which would definitely help - PurePerl modules are very rarely difficult to install in my experience.

You mean something like C::DynaLib? Well, there's a big warning on top of the README of that module: 

        ***********************************************************
        ***   THIS CODE CONTAINS SYSTEM DEPENDENCIES.           ***
        ***   IT WILL NOT WORK ON ALL COMPILERS, MACHINES, OR   ***
        ***   OPERATING SYSTEMS.        USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.   ***
        ***********************************************************


        ***********************************************************
        ***   A BETTER WAY TO INTERFACE TO C CODE IS WITH XS.   ***
        ***   PLEASE READ THE "perlxs" DOCUMENTATION BEFORE     ***
        ***   MAKING EXTENSIVE USE OF THIS MODULE.              ***
        ***********************************************************

[download]
Please also note that there may be still systems without dynamic loading.

In reply to Re: Re: Where do Perls come from, Mommy? by eserte
in thread Where do Perls come from, Mommy? by Intrepid

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