[Bioperl-l] Bio::DB::WebDBSeqI

[David Block]

On Tue, 12 Dec 2000, Hilmar Lapp wrote:

> Jason Stajich wrote:
> > 
> > Also, about temporary files.  I am using File::Temp, which behaves
> 
> Seems to be another external dependency. I don't have it in Perl
> 5.005_03. Did it come with the core 5.6 dist?
> 
> Since we're piling up external depencies anyway, just add it to
> Makefile.PL ...
> 
> A general question to people on the list: what is your general feeling
> about the number of external dependencies? Do you feel fine with a
> growing number, or does it scare you, do you think it might
> significantly heighten the barrier to using the package, or is it just
> normal for you that installing one package means installing another ten.

For those of us with broadband access and big hard drives, it is little
more than a momentary inconvenience.  CPAN is one of the great strengths
of perl, and if we can leverage other people's work, so much the better.

However, at 28.8 kbps and with a small hard drive, what are you doing in
bioinformatics?

I'd rather not re-invent any more wheels than I have to.

> Do you think maintaining a collection of the respective external modules
> on the bioperl FTP site mitigates the additional trouble, or are you
> afraid that these most of the time will be outdated?
> 
A clear description of how to use CPAN would be all that's really
necessary, don't you think?

> Does it make sense to have someone responsible for keeping that stuff
> up-to-date? I think Chris has done this so far, voluntarily.
> 

Better to have a minimum requirement, and not worry about this week's beta
release.

> 	Hilmar
> 


(my $0.02 Cdn)
-- 
David Block
dblock@gene.pbi.nrc.ca
http://bioinfo.pbi.nrc.ca/dblock/wiki
Plant Biotechnology Institute
National Research Council of Canada
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan