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Date: Mon, 25 Nov 1996 10:05:32 +0900 (JST)
From: Michael Hancock <michaelh@cet.co.jp>
To: Michael Smith <msmith@atrad.adelaide.edu.au>
cc: nate@mt.sri.com, gclarkii@main.gbdata.com, hackers@FreeBSD.org
Subject: Re: Who needs Perl? We do!
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On Mon, 25 Nov 1996, Michael Smith wrote:

> You're the first person to ask for Python in the base system.  There
> have been hundreds of feet on the Perl road over the last year or so.

I wasn't serious.  I have anti-bloat religion because the CVS tree is
incrementally becoming unwieldy.  I rather not see any of this in the base
system.

I think all these things should be components that can easily be added to
a minimal base system.  If downloading across the Pacific takes too long,
use a CD.  2.2 is just around the corner if only more people can test it.

You also mentioned that if Perl were in the base then it would provide an
incentive to use it more.  I'd hate to see FreeBSD become PerlOS.

Since Perl4 is in the base already, I would like to see the following
done:

1) /usr/bin/perl should be renamed to /usr/bin/perl4.

2) The Perl dependent scripts in the base should be modified to reference
/usr/bin/perl4.

3) Users can then add Perl5 separately and install it as /usr/bin/perl
without affecting the base scripts. 

4) Find volunteers to rewrite the current scripts in C and eventually
free the base of Perl4.

Regards,


Mike Hancock