First is a brief overview of what the software does.

I look in the pod for a SYNOPSIS or DESCRIPTION paragraph for this.

If there isn't an install file, I look first for how to install the silly thing. I want detailed instructions beyond...

But what if it's a simple module that needs no explanation beyond perl Makefile.PL ... make install? Presumably, the installation does not need mentioning.

I want the most common or two errors you'll get

Do you mean mistakes that the user of the module can make? Or do you mean caveats and bugs in the module? In either case, I think these belong in the pod.

I look for where to go for more extensive help. Who the author is, what email lists discuss it, and other good support places.

This belongs in the pod under SUPPORT.

There should be something about copyright and what rights the user and author both have.

These will either be in the pod under COPYRIGHT and/or LICENSE, or in a separate file called LICENSE.

I know that README files predate pod, but have they been obsoleted by pod?

Here is what I would expect to look for in a README, but I don't see why this couldn't be written in the pod.

--

Oh Lord, won’t you burn me a Knoppix CD ?
My friends all rate Windows, I must disagree.
Your powers of persuasion will set them all free,
So oh Lord, won’t you burn me a Knoppix CD ?
(Missquoting Janis Joplin)

In reply to Re^2: What should be in the README for a module? by rinceWind
in thread What should be in the README for a module? by rinceWind

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