[MacPerl] MacPerl 5.1.0 alpha 1 released

[Matthias Ulrich Neeracher <neeri@iis.ee.ethz.ch>]

[I'm CC'ing this to perl5-porters because the recent MakeMaker debate has
 hinted at some serious misunderstandings about the nature of MacPerl
 build mechanisms. Anybody interested is invited to take a peek at the
 dump below, but you need Stuffit Expander to unpack the file below.]

An MPW&Source only release of the above is now at

ftp://err.ethz.ch/pub/neeri/MacPerl/Beta/Mac_Perl_510r2_a1.sit.bin

This release is based on Un*x perl5.002_01. It features:

 - A brand new build system based on dmake. The Mac port of dmake is
   available in ftp://err.ethz.ch/pub/neeri/Misc/
 - Error reporting for Toolbox dynamic modules, i.e., you can now do

   OpenResFile("a:b") || die "$^E";
 - An easier OS test, since $^O is now always 'MacOS'. $^E and $^O are 
   two new magical variables introduced by Charles Bailey.

It does *not* feature:

 - CFM68K support. Somebody's working on that.
 - An application. I'm working on that.
 - A ported library. In fact, I have ported almost no libraries yet in this
   new release except perl5db.pl, which has some cool improvements. All of those
   who volunteered to help with the library and have MPW, please contact me.
 - A tested binary. This is mainly for those who want to play with the new
   build system and libraries.

I will release a better version in a week or so, but my tendonitis is acting up,
and if I don't complete my Perl Journal article soon, somebody else is going to
act up :-)

Matthias

-----
Matthias Neeracher                                   neeri@iis.ethz.ch
   "These days, though, you have to be pretty technical before you can 
    even aspire to crudeness." -- William Gibson, _Johnny Mnemonic_