Check Your Slack

Chapter 3 - Module Design and Implementation
by?Sam Tregar?
Apress ? 2002
Companion Web Site

Before you start a new module, you should visit CPAN.^[1] You may be able to avoid a lot of work (and thus gain a lot of slack) by reusing an existing module. If you need features that an existing module doesn't provide, consider extending the module. Object-oriented modules can usually be extended through inheritance. If you make changes to a CPAN module, consider contributing those changes back to the author.^[2] Remember, one of the virtues of a Perl programmer is laziness; CPAN is the greatest enabler of programmer laziness since the terminal!

^[1]See Chapter 1 for copious instructions.

^[2]If you'll be distributing your module, then you may be required to release the source for any changes under the same license as the module. Be sure to read the license for the module before you start making modifications!