Free module software for linux

MultiAdmin security framework kernel module provides means to have multiple "root" users with unique UIDs.
This fixes collation order problems which for example appear with NSCD, allows to have files with determinable owner and allows to track the quota usage for every user, since they now have a unique uid.
MultiAdmin Security Module also implements a "sub-admin", a partially restricted root user, who has full read-only access to most subsystems, and additional write rights only to a limited subset, e.g. writing to files or killing processes only of certain users.
Enhancements:
- The NetAdmin user class has been removed since it can be handled in userspace.
- The code has been updated to work with Linux 2.6.22.

Manencode prepares video to be DVD-compliant.

Another module of the next MANDVD. This module will be use to transcode any video and edit them (cut part of film, add subtitle, adjust light / contrast / saturation).

Module::Install::Philosophy Perl module contains the concepts behind Module::Install.

SYNOPSIS

This document describes the personal philosophy behind the creation of CPAN::MakeMaker (the predecessor of Module::Install). The views expressed here belong to Brian Ingerson; if they are not of interest to you, you can safely ignore this document.

The above is obviously a mutation of the monumental speech by great Martin Luther King (http://web66.coled.umn.edu/new/MLK/MLK.html). While the contexts are vastly different, I feel that there are some serious parallelisms.
The CPAN has become a place that is not free of injustice. This situation has arisen not out of directed oppression, but from a failure of our community to keep its tools sharp. It is the culmination of many small decisions made in the name of practicality. This is a sad state for an institution that was created to allow all interested people to contribute equally to the best of their ability.

This assertion is rooted in my personal experience as an author. When I created my first Perl module, Inline.pm, I knew that I had done something important. But how was I to make a dent in vast Perl community?

As a complete unknown in the Perl community, my voice did not travel far. I repeatedly tried to get even an acknowledgment from the gurus familiar with XS. No success. I resorted to sending messages with ridiculous subjects to modules@perl.org. (http://www.xray.mpe.mpg.de/mailing-lists/modules/2000-08/msg00078.html) No response. Through sheer determination and shameless self-promotion I eventually got the word out, and I hope the world is a slightly better place for it.
Since then, Inline has won awards and I have had the privilege to meet almost all of Perls finest. But I still remember the pain of starting out, and want to help invite more people into this wonderful world.

One thing I have learned from experience is that the Perl community (and throw in the Python and Ruby people as well) is a small drop in the vast ocean of programming. Its a giant pot of Java out there; and a sea of C. Perl may not be the biggest fish, but with some care and cunning we could become a much bigger school.

These are the current problems that I see with CPAN and the core modules:

New Modules dont help Older Perls
If I were to guess what percent of all Perl5 installations were at the current release level (5.8.0 in October 2002) I would say 3-5%. That may even be generous. Id say that over 40% of installations might still be at 5.005 or earlier.
The biggest problem with adding a module to the core is that it only helps a small subset of Perl users for a long long time. Worse yet, a good module author will still probably avoid using the core additions as prerequisites, because they want their new module to work as well on 5.005 as on 5.8.
CPAN::MakeMaker should be able to help in this regard. For example, instead of putting Inline.pm into the core for 5.9, I can now effectively get it into the core for every version of Perl that Inline supports.
Author Exclusiveness
Not just anybody can get a module into the core. It seems you have to know people in high places. If I were a brilliant new talent with a great new module, it would have a harder time getting the ear of the pumpking, then if I were, say, Damian Conway. In fact, I probably wouldnt even know where to start.
Reduced Competition
One comment Ive heard from some very good Perl programmers is "Everything important has already been done". Their feeling is that even though a module is suboptimal, it would be a waste of time to write a competing module. Who would use it instead of the one already in the core?
When I write a competing module, I know that I have to make it at least twice as good as the existing one to even get noticed. Thats not a bad thing, but should everybody be forced into that situation?
For example, lets say that you have created a really useful CGI script. Lets also say that it makes use of your own CGI::Special module, because CGI.pm doesnt meet your needs. Even though your script might be generally useful and worth sharing, the fact that it requires a non-standard module can only negatively affect its acceptance. Trying to get general acceptance for the superior CGI::Special module will be harder still.
Core modules are assumed by the general public to be "Best of Breed". While this may be true for some modules at some point in time, it keeps talented people from attempting to "breed" something better.
Core Bloat
Every time we add a module to the core it gets bigger and bigger. And we cant ever remove modules from the core, once theyve been added.
If I had my druthers, wed remove all modules from the core that werent necessary for either running Perl or installing modules. Of course, wed need to set things up so that installing modules was so easy, that it could be done on the fly if necessary. Is this easily accomplishable? Nope. Is it impossible? Nope. We have the best language in the world to help us do it!
Maintenance Bitrot
Believe it or not, Perl authors can sometimes acquire a "Life Beyond Perl". They get families or new hobbies or even hit by a bus. (This would be a "Death Beyond Perl".) The fact is, that once somebody writes a piece of code and shares it with the world, they are expected to maintain it for all time.
That is being generous. There are others that think that once their module has become popular or made it into the core, they dont need to keep fixing and improving it. I have personally been guilty of this sin.
And then theres the Damian Conway Effect. This plagues the exceptional authors who are so innovative and prolific they simply dont have time to maintain everything they have written.

I initially formalized these opinions at the YAPC (Yet Another Perl Conference) in June 2001. Since then I have been trying to think of technological solutions to fix these social problems.

One idea was dubbed NAPC. NAPC is CPAN backwards. It is a large system of precompiled modules that can be installed on the fly, with the goal of reducing the number of modules in the core. NAPC hasnt got started yet. Id still like to do it someday, but its a big problem with a lot of issues.

CPAN::MakeMaker (and now Module::Install) on the other hand, is simple and ultimately flexible. It should work with all of the existing CPAN processes without requiring any changes from them. And new features can be continuously added. Even though it doesnt scratch all of my philosophical CPAN itches, its a good start.

Webmin OpenVpm Admin Module allows you to create static or CA-based VPNs through a Web interface.
Webmin is a valid web-based instrument for Linux/Unix system administrator. OpenVPN allows to create and manage VPN supplying wide possibilities of configuration.
Their union, with also the pressing necessity of having an efficient instruments of administration, has carried OPEN IT to develop a module of Webmin for OpenVPN.
The Open VPNadmin module is web-based and it can be used within Webmin. Witj this module you can:
- manage the Certificate Authority (CA)
- manage the VPNs and check the active connections
Enhancements:
- The device number (tun0, tun1, etc.) is automatically added and can be modified interactively.
- In the module configuration area the default server has been added as a new item.
- Tests for the validity of keys, servers, and clients were modified.
- New config files were provided for NetBSD and OpenBSD.
- The server static form was adapted to the Webmin skins.

kcmnvview is a KControl Center module for displaying additional Nvidia graphic card settings.

NOTE: this kcm_module use the /proc file system (/proc/driver/nvidia/*)!

SYNOPSIS

perl -MModule::AutoINC < script >

ABSTRACT

When Module::AutoINC is loaded, it will add itself to @INC and catch any requests for missing resources. If a Perl module is requested that has not been installed, then this will attempt to load it. Under Active State Perl (or any Perl where PPM is available), PPM will attempt to install it. Otherwise CPAN will be queried and, assuming that the module exists on CPAN, CPAN::Shell will be invoked to install it. Execution of the script continues after the requisite module has been installed.

Module::AutoINC is a slightly useful tool designed to streamline the process of installing the modules required by a script. By loading the Module::AutoINC module (usually via a "-MModule::AutoINC" command-line option), the user is registering a handler that will catch any attempt to use a module that does not exist on the local machine. In this case, the CPAN::Shell module will be invoked to search for the specified module and, if found, an attempt will be made to install the module. If successful, the module will be loaded and execution will continue as normal.

Imported Symbols

You can modify the behavior of the module slightly using several import symbols. All import symbols are case-insensitive.

If you import the special symbol force then the installation of the module(s) will be forced. The definition of a forced installation varies depending on whether you are installing using PPM or CPAN. See the relevant documentation for each system for more information.

You can override the installation method detection using the import symbols, cpan or ppm. cpan will cause CPAN to be used for module installation no matter whether PPM is available or not. ppm will attempt to install the module using PPM regardless of whether ppm is findable by Module::AutoINC. Of course, you should know what you are doing if you use these import symbols.

Examples

perl -MModule::AutoINC -MLingua::Num2Word=cardinal -le print cardinal("en", 42)

...will download and install Lingua::Num2Word and Lingua::EN::Num2Word.

perl -MModule::AutoINC=cpan -MLingua::Num2Word=cardinal -le print cardinal("de", 42)

...will then download and install (using CPAN, even under ActiveState Perl) Lingua::DE::Num2Word (German).

perl -MModule::AutoINC=force -MLingua::Num2Word=cardinal -le print cardinal("es", 42)

...will then download and install (forcefully) Lingua::ES::Numeros (Spanish).

Alien Perl module package contains external libraries wrapped up for your viewing pleasure!

SYNOPSIS

perldoc Alien;

Alien is a package that exists just to hold together an idea, the idea of Alien:: packages, so there is no code here, just motivation for Alien.

Why

James and I ended up doing a build system for Fotango, lots of people have done a build system, it is a pretty boring task. The boring task is really all the mindlessly stupid things you need to do to build C libraries that Perl modules require, these C modules usually have unusual installation systems or require vastly different options. So CPAN modules install easy, 3rd party stuff is nasty.
So, suddenly an idea struck me, Alien packages! Imagine a CPAN module that has as its only task to make sure a certain library is installed! That means that you can write all the voodoo in your Build.PL file and then just make sure the module requires the correct Alien module! Then anything that install Perl modules will deal with it automatically!

How

So, what should an Alien module do? It should make sure that the target is installed and it should provide the caller with enough information to use it.
The idea is that you use it to make sure it is there, and you call class methods to find out what to use. These class methods will be individually specified by the stand alone Alien modules.

No Framework!

The reason this is so loosely worded is because we have no idea what common functionality will be needed, so we will let evolution work for us and see what individual Alien packages need and then eventually factor it out into this packages. I would like to avoid a topdown design approach.

Responsibilities of a Alien module.

On installation, make sure the required package is there, otherwise install it.
On usage, make sure the required package is there, else croak.

Bundle the source with the module, or download it.

Allow module authors to access information it gathers.

Document itself well.

Preferably use Module::Build.

Be sane.