Date: Thu, 15 May 2003 15:10:09 +0200 From: Dag-Erling Smorgrav <des@ofug.org> To: stable@freebsd.org Subject: Perl version in -STABLE Message-ID: <xzpy918mk3y.fsf@flood.ping.uio.no>
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[bcc: to re@] Considering the amount of changes between 4.x and 5.x, and the performance issues of the latter, I think I can safely predict that RELENG_4 will be around for a long time after the RELENG_5 branch. While I understand that some will resist making RELENG_4 any more useful than it currently is (to encourage users to move to 5.x), I think there is one issue that should be addressed: the in-tree version of Perl. -STABLE currently has 5.005_03, which is four years old and noticeably incompatible with newer versions in at least some respects; the most common stumbling block in my experience being the new, safer syntax for open(), which 5.005_03 does not support. "Install Perl from ports" is not a good answer unless we decide here and now to remove Perl completely from -STABLE. Otherwise, we are practically guaranteed that a certain percentage of RELENG_4 users (more and more as time goes on and 5.005_03 becomes even more antiquated) will consistently forget to build world with NOPERL. I would therefore like to suggest that the version of Perl in the -STABLE tree be upgraded to 5.6.1, which is old enough to be known- good (and not deviate too much from 5.005_03) and yet new enough to incoroporate some of the more useful improvements to have appeared since 1999. If memory serves, it also takes significantly less time to build than 5.8.0. DES -- Dag-Erling Smorgrav - des@ofug.org
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