in reply to Re: Can I please have *simple* modules?
in thread Can I please have *simple* modules?

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:>*
  • Comment on Re^2: Can I please have *simple* modules?

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Re^3: Can I please have *simple* modules?
by creamygoodness (Curate) on Nov 23, 2005 at 16:49 UTC
    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
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      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:>*
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        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.

        There's no difference if you know exactly what you're looking for.

        Ovid $ man POSIX | wc -l
    1622
Ovid $ man List::Util | wc -l
     159

        You're assuming the person knows what they're looking for. If they don't and they have only a vague notion that the package in question supplies what they need, it can be a long slog indeed to find the answer. Searching for poorly named functions is harder. Verifying the behavior of complicated functions is harder. I'm not saying shorter/simpler is better, but it's often easier to work with.

        Cheers,
        Ovid

        New address of my CGI Course.

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