in reply to HTML::Format woes

I don't think HTML::Format exists anymore, and that's why you're getting these messages from CPAN.

Try:

i /HTML-Format/
and

install SBURKE/HTML-Format-2.04.tar.gz

I guess the confusion is that there is no module named HTML::Format. The modules are named HTML::FormatX where X is PS, RTF, Text and ter.