Unfortunately, the PPM problem seems to run deeper than just the problem with the errant ppds at uwinnipeg. I also tried the 5.10 PPD at bribes, which at least appears to be a proper PPD, but when I try and install it:

C:\Perl510\bin>ppm-shell
ppm 4.01
Copyright (C) 2007 ActiveState Software Inc.  All rights reserved.
ppm> config list
arch = MSWin32-x86-multi-thread-5.10
gui.filter =
gui.filter.fields = name
gui.filter.type = all
gui.geometry = 568x535+364+272
gui.install_area = site
gui.view.abstract = 1
gui.view.area = 1
gui.view.author = 0
gui.view.available = 1
gui.view.installed = 1
gui.view.name = 1
gui.view.repo = 1
gui.view.sortcolumn = name
gui.view.sortorder = -increasing
gui.view.statusbar = 1
gui.view.toolbar = 1
ppm> install http://www.bribes.org/perl/ppm/Crypt-SSLeay.ppd
ppm install failed: The PPD does not provide code to install for this 
+platform
ppm> quit


C:\Perl510\bin>lwp-request http://www.bribes.org/perl/ppm/Crypt-SSLeay
+.ppd
<SOFTPKG NAME="Crypt-SSLeay" VERSION="0,57,0,0">
        <TITLE>Crypt-SSLeay</TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT>OpenSSL support for LWP</ABSTRACT>
        <AUTHOR>David Landgren (david@landgren.net)</AUTHOR>
        <IMPLEMENTATION>
                <OS NAME="MSWin32" />
                <ARCHITECTURE NAME="MSWin32-x86-multi-thread" />
                <CODEBASE HREF="Crypt-SSLeay-0.57-PPM56.tar.gz" />
        </IMPLEMENTATION>
        <IMPLEMENTATION>
    <OS NAME="MSWin32" />
    <ARCHITECTURE NAME="MSWin32-x86-multi-thread-5.8" />
    <CODEBASE HREF="Crypt-SSLeay-0.57-PPM58.tar.gz" />
  </IMPLEMENTATION>
  <IMPLEMENTATION>
    <OS NAME="MSWin32" />
    <ARCHITECTURE NAME="MSWin32-x86-multi-thread-5.10" />
    <CODEBASE HREF="Crypt-SSLeay-0.57-PPM510.tar.gz" />
  </IMPLEMENTATION>
</SOFTPKG>
[download]

This string:

arch = MSWin32-x86-multi-thread-5.10
[download]

seems to match this one:

    <ARCHITECTURE NAME="MSWin32-x86-multi-thread-5.10" />
[download]

so on the basis of what information is PPM deciding that The PPD does not provide code to install for this platform? I made a half hearted attempt to work through the internals of ppm to discover that, but got lost.

Unfortunately, the PPM problem seems to run deeper than just the problem with the errant ppds at uwinnipeg

What problem ? (I'm unaware of any problem with with the uwinnipeg ppds.)

Cheers,
Rob