[Bioperl-l] bioperl-run; size/complexity of bioperl for 1.2

nkuipers nkuipers@uvic.ca
Sun, 24 Nov 2002 03:06:48 -0800


>Having to install several parts and understand CPAN-like dependency
>mechanisms may be difficult for the newbie. Do not forget that a large part
>of bioperl users do not have any sysadm in their lab and have to install
>bioperl themselves.

I disagree.  Installation is not the main difficulty, as resources pointing to 
the PREFIX option to make, for example, are abundant; even I figured it out. 
:)  Actually identifying which modules to use and getting dirty with 
<i>functionality</i> and code lifting/munging is where the main learning curve 
is, I think.

>IMHO, a package should be distributed and installed independantly
>from bioperl only if it  can be used independantly from bioperl

As far as I understand it, we are not discussing bioperl independences (is 
that a word? ;) per se as much as bioperl subsets.  Obviously, no subset 
should interfere with any other subset and should be able to interact smoothly 
with every other subset to some degree.

As for your comment about the number of modules not indicating complexity, you 
are right.  Complexity is not defined by the number of modules if you are a 
person not daunted by numbers.

$.02

Nathanael Kuipers
--
Center for Biomedical Research,
Dept. of Biology,
University of Victoria