This is a "best practice" question.

If you notice that a CPAN module has a very specific bug in it, but it's not easily patchable since the modules it requires it the main culprit. Do you patch both modules and submit (I'm not even sure this is possible). Or do you rewrite the module and make it work as it should and then run into a rather odd naming situation.

The module i'm speaking of is Net::Traceroute::PurePerl, but the problem exists in Net::Traceroute as well. I should actually point out that the problem exits within every tested version of traceroute on linux/solaris including MTR and assorted TCPtraces.

When attempting to traceroute through an unrouted device on the system, the packets travel out over the default interface with packet headers from the specified interface. This causes nothing to return, and, in order to force any information to return you can use ICMP echo rather then UDP and you'll get the route for the default interface. Clearly this is not what it should do.

I've started a module that can report the desired route of the proper interface, but I have yet to add any of the extras which would be needed for CPAN. I also run into a problem of a name for it.

So in the end my question is. Is it okay to step on an already developed module with a new replacement?. Or would it be wise to first inform the authors of the issue. Or Since the problem is deeply ingrained into the known application should i assume i'm the only person that ever plans on running these types of tests and just keep it to myself?

janitored by ybiC: Retitle from "CPAN bugs and proper proceedure", make PM-links of module names

In reply to Bugs in module on CPAN: proper procedure by jaco

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