in reply to Can I please have *simple* modules?

The pressure exerted by a user base towards Feeping Creaturism can be intense. For an example, see the CPAN reviews for List Util.

Users have supplied some very sophisticated patches for a contribution of mine to the "simple modules" group, Sort::External. I wrote the Sort::External::Cookbook rather than integrate one of them. It can be challenging to balance showing appreciation for people's contributions with the need to keep a module's interface streamlined and its documentation brief.

For Ovid and me and everyone else to "have simple modules", first they have to be written, and then they have to stay simple after they're written. I'd like to raise a pint to Graham Barr for keeping List::Util uncluttered.

--
Marvin Humphrey
Rectangular Research ― http://www.rectangular.com
  • Comment on Re: Can I please have *simple* modules?

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re^2: Can I please have *simple* modules?
by Perl Mouse (Chaplain) on Nov 23, 2005 at 16:04 UTC
    I don't think that "simple" equals "only doing a few things". I don't think List::Util is much simpler than POSIX. They are both modules with a collection of subroutines. And while the POSIX module has the potential of doing a lot more than Class::MakeMaker - it's much simpler.

    Adding functions to POSIX or List::Util doesn't make the modules more complicated - it doesn't become harder to use the new functions, neither does it make the existing functions harder to use. You just use the module, and list the subs you want to use. Class::MakeMaker suffers from the problem that there are so many ways of doing related things, that's why there's a lot of 'configuration' necessary, and that's what makes it complicated.

    Perl --((8:>*
[reply]
      I don't think that "simple" equals "only doing a few things".

      Maybe not, but it helps. Compare what happens when you perldoc POSIX with what happens when you perldoc List::Util.

      A cacaphony starts with a single "feep". You have to draw the line.

      --
      Marvin Humphrey
      Rectangular Research ― http://www.rectangular.com
[reply]
[d/l]
[select]
        Compare what happens when you perldoc POSIX with what happens when you perldoc List::Util.
        Let's see. When I do 'man List::Util', I hit a slash, type the name of the function I want the manual of, hit return, and it appears. When I do 'man POSIX', I hit a slash, type the name of the function I want the manual of, hit return, and it appears.

        No difference. All the functionality of function in either POSIX or List::Util doesn't interfere with each other. That's why POSIX is simple. Sure, it has a lot, but it's still simple.

        Perl --((8:>*
[reply]

In Section Meditations