CPAN as {ISBN authority, book publisher, bookstore, ...}
Suppose we use books as analogies for Perl (CPAN) modules.
Do we want CPAN to be some sort of an ISBN authority, where we merely dole out namespaces and unique IDs? There should be no requirements of content or any editorial activity on the modules. We should not discourage (nor encourage?) experimental modules or implemetations, modules for personal or semi-private use, etc.
Do we want CPAN to be some sort of a publisher? There would be some editors in charge to determine which modules are worthy of publishing and which are not (yet). The question is, who? There can hardly be a consensus and "CPAN publisher" will be forked into several publishers with differing guidelines/missions. Not that forking is a bad thing.
Do we want CPAN to be some sort of a bookstore? Where we can browse for modules or do comparison shopping, see buyer's ratings, and finally check out and bring some modules home.
Do we want CPAN to be some sort of a public library?
Do we want CPAN to be some sort of a personal library? Where we display our favorite collections for others to see?
Yes, yes, and yes. And that's what's hard.
A programmer (mostly Perl 5 nowadays).
My CPAN ID: SHARYANTO. I'm sedusedan on perlmonks. My twitter is stevenharyanto (but I don't tweet much). Follow me on github: sharyanto.
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