[MacPerl] Re: CPAN

[Andreas Koenig <k@anna.in-berlin.de>]

  > OK, here is the scoop:
  > Andreas and I have been trying to get his software to unpack .sit.hqx for
  > proper integration into CPAN.  I just got word from Aladdin that no such
  > software exists for UNIX that is compatible with the current Stuffit format
  > (post-1.5.1).

Thanks to the numerous helping hands. It is as Chris says, none of the
suggestions I got so far does anything useful. This is sad truth.

  > So what to do?

  > There are two issues:
  > 1.)  The files need to be properly integrated into CPAN, which means, at
  > this point, they should be .tar.gz files.
  >         a.)  In order to create a .tar.gz archive, a Mac user needs MacGzip
  > and tar or suntar, all available on Info-Mac.
  >         b.)  In order to USE a .tar.gz archive, a Mac user needs to use the
  > above or Stuffit Expander (freeware) with Expander Enhancer (shareware).

  > Now, if this were the only issue, it would probably be OK with everyone to
  > do it this way.  However, there is also the second issue:

  > 2.)  In order to get properly integrated into CPAN, the files in the
  > archive (the module and readme) need to be in UNIX linebreak format.  Then
  > in order to use the files, the user had to put them back into Mac linebreak
  > format.  This could be a pain.

I don't think, all modules need to be in UNIX linebreak format. We
have perl here after all;-) I'd strongly prefer to have those modules
in UNIX linebreak format that are intended to work on more than one
operating system, but those written especially for other systems are
certainly ok in a slightly different format.

  > My suggestion is to maybe upload two pieces: module.tar.gz and
  > module.sit.hqx.  module.tar.gz would be in UNIX linebreak format and would
  > be unpacked and integrated into CPAN, and module.sit.hqx would be left in
  > the author's directory and would have Mac linebreaks.

As I said in a previous mail to you, I don't think, this is
acceptable. We cannot double the size of the archive. CPAN is 300 MB
today and to be multiplied by 50 hosts.

You should know, that every module remains in the authors directory
anyway. What you see from outside in other directories are symbolic
links. So CPAN is really 300 MB. No are no duplicate files.

andreas