Modern Perl

How Are You Using $c->forward (or qw/go visit detach etc/)?

While trying to finish up my thoughts of the followup to "Does Anyone Else Hate the Stash?" one issue that I'm been grappling with is the relationship between using the stash as secondary global namespace and the way I've seen people use the stash as a sort of messaging system to methods called via $c->forward and the like.  I guess part of what troubles me here is how doing so seems to bust encapsulation, using the stash as a sort of 'pass by reference' system that reminds more of Perl 4 then where we are at now.  I've seen code that forwarded to a method, where the target method expected certain things in the stash but with no interface to really tell you want was expected.  That code would forward to other code that expected different things in the stash.  And all along all these forwards, stuff gets dropped in and mangled in the stash so by the time it returns from the initial ->forward I really have no idea what is in the stash anymore.

Is this a problem or am I just being too controlling :)  Tell me!

So, tell me what you are using forward for, and how you use (or don't use) the stash when doing so.  I won't pollute your thoughts on the matter with mine until I've heard from you first :)

And another thing while I'm typing, it seems like all my most popular blog posts contain the word 'Hate" in the title.  I may be concerned.

Thanks!

Darkpan => CPAN Service (part two)

A few months ago, when discussing how to support the 'darkpan' (what Perl programmers call the vast body of perl code floating around the internet or in private companies that we know nothing about) I suggested leveraging the vast CPAN distribution system as a sort of continuous integration/build service which we could offer as a for pay service to companies using Perl.  This would have the dual benefit of encouraging corporations to package up their perl code properly (ie as  CPAN module with a Makefile.PL, etc) and could help raise money to sponser Perl development.

What I'm thinking about would be similar to a ruby only service I noticed: http://runcoderun.com

Check that out and let me know what you think.  What kind of services would the 'quasipan' be required to offer in order to entice companies into paying for it?  For example, what do you think of the idea of being able to build a EC2 or other cloud image type from a base OS that intergrate any given set of CPAN and Darkcpan modules?  Like, "I want a virtualbox VM with Perl 5.10.1 on debian with git, postgresql and Catalyst preinstalled, although with my private repo of proprietary code?"

Would You Find this Moose Role Useful? (Part Two)

Well Perl Ironman Readers,

Based on the public and private comments from the previous blog I decided to go ahead and write something (I hope) cpan worthy.  It should show up shortly over here but until then you can check it out on github (or clone / offer improvements)

I'm not in love with the name.  If you have a better idea please speak up, but I don't like to let naming issues stop  me from publishing.

Thanks!