James E Keenan writes: > On Fri, 19 Dec 2003 12:13:56 +0100, Marco Marongiu wrote: > > > I created the module in subject for an application I had to create > > for my job. I am planning to release it on CPAN > > > [snip] > > SEE ALSO > > The wonderful Date::Calc module > > ... wouldn't there be > something to be said for placing it in that module's hierarchy? I.e., > Date::Calc::Iterator.
That sounds like a very good idea. For what it's worth I don't consider Date::Calc to be "wonderful" -- not because there's anything particularly wrong with it _per se_, but that a couple of years ago I just found trying to deal with dates and times in Perl in general was very painful indeed, mainly because there were so many date- and time-related modules that each performed a task OK but didn't play nicely with each other. Therefore I am immensely grateful to Dave Rolsky and co for bringing DateTime into existence, and doing it so well. I am very happy with the DateTime modules, which seem to do everything that any of the other date or time modules do, but they can actually be used together (as well as getting those tricky issues such as leap seconds and daylight savining correct). So now I use the DateTime modules for all work involving dates or times, even smaller jobs where they are arguably overkill, because it's so nice to have standard classes that can be used everywhere, and I can't imagine ever wanting to use any of the other Date modules. But I understand Simon's point about it being nice to have nice simple modules for simple tasks. _Personally_ I'd prefer that even simple modules using dates or times used DateTime objects, but just as I've got a fondness for DateTime it's obvious that others have warm feelings for Date::Calc. > In my day job, I too have encountered situations where I want to write > functions that require Date::Calc and extend its functionality, and I > began to map out a plan to a series of modules which would be little > add-ons for that module. It appears to me that Date::Iterator takes a > similar approach. I suspect that if you look at DateTime and friends you'll find it does everything you want. But if you have a reason for wanting a suite of Date::Calc-compatible modules then naming them Date::Calc::Foo sounds like an excellent idea. > In fact, if your module _had_ been named Date::Calc::Iterator from the > outset, it would, IMHO, have been less vulnerable to the criticism > that it was polluting CPAN because there's something else up there > with the same or similar functionality. That's quite possibly true! Let the DateTime folks continue their excellent work in the DateTime:: namespace, and let Date::Calc fans work independently in the Date::Calc:: namespace, nobody's interfering with anybody else and the names make it blindingly obvious which cabal each module belongs to. Smylers