Yes, Microsoft Visual C++ is a commercial product and you usually have pay money to get a license to use it. There are free editions, but ActiveState uses MSVC6 to build ActiveState Perl and you will need version 6 as well if you want to build extensions to it. Version 6 is only available against payment.

If I may suggest a better approach to your questions, "didn't work either" is not an error description that helps me provide solutions to your questions.

Is there a link to download a free compiler that can compile source files from cpan?

As I said already, Strawberry Perl aims to provide an all-in-one package for that. In theory, you can even compile extensions for ActiveState Perl with the toolchain provided by Strawberry Perl.

In theory, you can even compile extensions for ActiveState Perl with the toolchain provided by Strawberry Perl

Not only in theory, but in practice too !!
I think that Corion's suggestion of using MinGW and dmake (which is what he means by the "toolchain provided by Strawberry Perl") is a good one. Whether you use that toolchain with Strawberry Perl or with ActiveState Perl shouldn't make any difference.

Until someone provides a ppm package of DBD::Oracle (which, afaict, hasn't yet happened re perl-5.10.0), you'll have to build it yourself. Give it a go with dmake and MinGW - report the errors you encounter, and someone will possibly be able to help you proceed.

Cheers,
Rob

hi, i downloaded strawberry perl and installed...everything works great so far for installing other modules with cpan. It can even build!

however, when trying to install DBD::Oracle this is what i get :

Using DBI 1.601 (for perl 5.010000 on MSWin32-x86-multi-thread) installed in C:/ strawberry/perl/site/lib/auto/DBI/ Configuring DBD::Oracle for perl 5.010000 on MSWin32 (MSWin32-x86-multi-thread) Remember to actually *READ* the README file! Especially if you have any problems . Using Oracle in C:/oracle/ora92 DEFINE _SQLPLUS_RELEASE = "902000100" (CHAR) Oracle version 9.2.0.1 (9.2) OCI directory not found, please install OCI in C:/oracle/ora92 at Makefile.PL li ne 228. Warning: No success on commandC:\strawberry\perl\bin\perl.exe Makefile.PL LIBS= -LC:\strawberry\c\lib INC=-IC:\strawberry\c\include PYTHIAN/DBD-Oracle-1.20.tar.gz C:\strawberry\perl\bin\perl.exe Makefile.PL LIBS=-LC:\strawberry\c\lib INC=-IC :\strawberry\c\include -- NOT OK Running make test Make had some problems, won't test Running make install Make had some problems, won't install Failed during this command: PYTHIAN/DBD-Oracle-1.20.tar.gz : writemakefile NO 'C:\strawberry\ perl\bin\perl.exe Makefile.PL LIBS=-LC:\strawberry\c\lib INC=-IC:\strawberry\c\i nclude' returned status 512


i tried copying oci.dll from C:\oracle\instantclient_11_1\oci.dll but it kept showing the same message. What should i do??

There are two hints in this output you haven't followed:

Remember to actually *READ* the README file! Especially if you have an
+y problems .
[download]

and

OCI directory not found, please install OCI in C:/oracle/ora92
[download]

Copying things around won't help.