[Bioperl-l] Splitting Bioperl

[Sendu Bala]

To summarise some previous threads:
http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.lang.perl.bio.general/15315
http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.lang.perl.bio.general/15338/focus=15409

# Bioperl is currently one monolithic distribution of ~900 modules
# There is some desire to split it up into smaller functional groups
# There are some problems with that proposal
# An extreme variant of that proposal is to make the groups individual 
modules


Following this discussion:
http://www.nntp.perl.org/group/perl.modules/2007/07/msg55160.html
(especially Adam Kennedy's postings of 4/07, soon to appear in that 
archive), the extreme variant doesn't seem like a good idea.


I'm now suggesting that Steve's original split idea, as 
modified/expanded by Adam's driver and other ideas, is the best choice. 
The problems I previously identified can be solved in the same way they 
were solved in my extreme variant: the splits are done by Build.PL 
automation working on a single repository/code-base, not by splitting 
things up at the repository level.


As I see it, the way forward now is for someone interested enough to 
decide on the specifics of how things will be split and offer them up to 
the group for discussion. I don't mean vague possibilities of what might 
work as a split, but rather some real thought should go into it to make 
sure the split makes sense and will actually work in practice.

Following that, the splits can be implemented by some automated dist 
action of Build.PL.


If there isn't sufficient interest to make this happen, I don't see that 
as a terrible thing. There are benefits to keeping Bioperl monolithic, 
and some of the problems (eg. lack of updates) can be solved without 
changing its nature.