The mailing list has been the official place for support of all bundled
mod_perl modules for as long as I can remember. I don't think there's a
rule about perl core modules being passed between individuals either,
although I could be wrong. Sending people to a mailing list for support is
a common practice with any widely used module, e.g. DBI.
Apache::DBI is obsolete in the sense that most people are using an ORM
framework that handles database persistence for them, so they have no use
for Apache::DBI. It's not broken, and people should feel free to use it if
it fits their use case. It has certain advantages over
DBI->connect_cached() which have been discussed here many times.
I'm not sure why you're concluding that Apache::DBI is unsupported. To me,
getting multiple responses on a mailing list is pretty much Platinum Level
Support for open source. If no one stepping forward to say "I own X, let
me debug it for you" means that X is unsupported and obsolete, then I think
we're all in trouble.
Open source support has always been laissez-faire (unless you choose to
hire someone for it). The only thing that has changed recently is that
with more viable web runtime options to choose from (PSGI, FastCGI's
comeback, etc.), the perl web dev world is more splintered and there are
fewer people on the mod_perl list than there used to be. That's a little
sad for me to see, but the new stuff is pretty nice too, and lots of people
are still using mod_perl and answering questions on this list.
- Perrin
On Fri, May 31, 2013 at 11:50 AM, Jim Schueler <jschue...@eloquency.com>wrote:
> I still use Alpine. And they never fixed the bug where ctrl-c (to cancel
> a message) and ctrl-x (to send) are so easily confused. Oops. Maybe it's
> time to start using a mouse.
>
> Having wasted so much time, I'll try to be succinct:
>
> Most modules on CPAN are bascially throwaways and not supported at all.
> Use them at your own risk.
>
> There are some modules that are just obsolete. Good intentions aside,
> the developers lost interest and moved on. These are less risky if
> there's an established user base.
>
> There are some very good modules, widely used, that are fully supported
> and perfectly safe for a production environment.
>
> Most mod_perl modules, especially the core modules, fall into that last,
> gold standard, category. In many cases, support is transferred from one
> individual to another. And so that commitment is documented. But if a
> module is no longer supported, don't lie about it. Support forums are an
> incredible resource. But if commercial software developers similarly
> blurred this distinction, every p.o.s. would be advertising free 24x7 tech
> support.
>
> Apache::DBI seems like a #2 pretending to be a #3. On the basis of your
> response, I've concluded that Apache::DBI is no longer supported and has
> been superceded by newer modules. Especially if no one responds and
> explicitly accepts the responsibility, this seems like the most appropriate
> answer for the poster of the original thread.
>
> I owe you a :) from a couple posts ago. :)
>
> -Jim
>
>
> On Fri, 31 May 2013, Perrin Harkins wrote:
>
> Hi Jim,
>> I appreciate the thought, but I'm not the mod_perl list. If you look at
>> who
>> has done the most support around here recently, it's probably Torsten.
>> (Thanks Torsten!) More to the point, there are many people on the list
>> who
>> know enough perl to help with a question about Apache::DBI. It's a common
>> practice to point people here for support on mod_perl modules.
>>
>> What are you getting at? Is there a module that you're having trouble
>> with
>> and can't get support for?
>>
>> - Perrin
>>
>>
>> On Fri, May 31, 2013 at 10:56 AM, Jim Schueler <jschue...@eloquency.com>
>> wrote:
>> There's an existing thread with an Apache::DBI question. But
>> since I want to post a separate question to this list, I decided
>> to start a new thread.
>>
>> Just got done reading the Man page for Apache::DBI. One of the
>> last notes suggests that this package is obsolete (having been
>> replaced by Class::DBI or DBIx::CLASS). Beyond that is the
>> following:
>>
>> Edmund Mergl was the original author of Apache::DBI. It is now
>> supported
>> and maintained by the modperl mailinglist, see the mod_perl
>> documentation
>> for instructions on how to subscribe.
>>
>> Unless Perrin Harkins agreed to take over support for this
>> module, then that statement is not true. Otherwise, out of
>> respect for Perrin, I'll try to be general.
>>
>> (Aside: Am I the only developer that comes across 'unless () {}
>> else {}' constructions?)
>>
>> It seems very few distros on CPAN are actually supported. For
>> my part, I still monitor this list to support my own
>> contributions from *many* years ago. And I k
>>
>>
>>
>>
