[Pdx-pm] Perl executables...

[Chris Dawson]

Well, I have used perl2exe quite a bit.  We like at work because we often
don't want to distribute the source code to a program, and we don't have
to ask someone to install perl or extra perl modules.  In corporate
atmospheres people are very wary about installing anything with an
installer, and windows permissions often don't allow much if you are not
an admin anyway.  So, distributing a .exe is often much better.  Granted,
it is basically perl+script in one big file, but size is not so much an
issue in these situations as is the machine lock down that their IT
departments have imposed.  They usually have big pipes but not big balls.
An .exe is much less threatening, though I am not commenting on the
rationality of that.  And, I know this is not a secure way to "hide" our
source code, but for these clients who are scared of perl I am not too
worried about that.

For me, it works really well and is a cheap way to write a quick .exe, and
you can even use Tcl/Tk for GUI programs.

Chris

On Wed, 21 May 2003, Tom Phoenix wrote:

> On Wed, 21 May 2003, Nick Wehr wrote:
>
> >   I was wondering if anyones messed around with
> > converting your perl script into a binary executable.
>
> I've never found anyone who has needed to do it. (I've met those who have
> done so, and I've made binaries myself. But I've never found anyone who
> has _needed_ to do so, in any practical sense.)
>
> > I want to be able to distribute scripts that utilize
> > modules without the need of an interpreter.
>
> When Perl 6 is available, you may be able to do this, although I'm not
> sure. But even using perl2exe means having an interpreter. It's simply
> hidden away in the gigantic binary file, that's all.
>
> Making a binary out of your Perl code won't make your programs faster to
> run, easier to maintain, or more portable. About the only benefit is that
> the program itself is easier to install on some machines, and impossible
> to install on some others. But a well-written installation document (or,
> in severe cases, an installation program) should help the user to get it
> going.
>
> If you're trying to solve some other problem than the installation
> problem, compiling Perl programs probably won't help. Sorry! But tell us
> what the problem is, and maybe we can help.
>
> Cheers!
>
> --Tom Phoenix
>
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