version 0.73
==================================

Provides the same version objects as included in Perl v5.9.x (and in the
v5.10.0 release).  In fact, if you attempt to use this module with a version
of Perl >= v5.9.0, this module will not do anything, since the code already
exists in the Perl core.  Note that the CPAN release cannot be installed
with the interim 5.9.0, 5.9.1, and 5.9.2 releases (since it duplicates code
in the core).  If you are testing 5.9.x, you must check out bleadperl in
order to get the current changes (the CPAN release has no effect in
bleadperl).

Major Changes in 0.73 - 2007-09-18
===================================

Provide special handling for version numbers too large to represent as an
ordinary integer.

Major changes in 0.7203 - 2007-04-17
=====================================

Default stringification for numeric versions is the same string as was
passed to version->new(), on the principal of least surprise.  If you want
a normalized numeric value, use $v->numify.  Includes return value of
replacement UNIVERSAL::VERSION as well.  version->new() correctly
duplicates version objects without a hitch.

Major changes in 0.71 - 2007-03-18
=====================================

Polymorphic error messages (where possible).  If the user typed 

    use module 1.000;  # error with 'module version 1.000 required'
    use module v1.0.0; # error with 'module version v1.0.0 required'
 
Only available with Perl v5.6.0 or later (no v-strings at all pre v5.6.0). 
On earlier Perl releases, always displays the numeric style error (the 
first example above).

All releases from Perl v5.6.0-v5.8.0 now fully support v-strings (which
was already supported in 5.8.1 or better).


Please read the POD documentation for usage/details.  See the CHANGES file
for full details of all changes to the module behavior.

INSTALLATION

To install this module type the following:

   $ perl Build.PL
   $ ./Build
   $ ./Build test
   # ./Build install

This release includes an optional pure Perl implementation (in case
you don't have a C-compiler or if some reason you want your code to be
much slower).  You can test it by calling the build script as

    $ perl Build.PL --perl_only

and it will install the Perl only version.

OR

To install with ExtUtils::MakeMaker:

   $ perl Makefile.PL
   $ make
   $ make test
   # make install

and correspondingly

   $ perl Makefile.PL --perl_only

will install the Perl only version.
  

DEPENDENCIES

The same C compiler used to build Perl (or not).  Module::Build 0.2611
or better.

Module::Build installs fine under 5.005_03 or better, though the optional
dependency Archive::Tar doesn't.  If you install Module::Build without any
of the optional dependencies, you can safely install version.pm.


COPYRIGHT AND LICENCE

This module can be distributed under the same terms as Perl.

Copyright (C) 2004,2005,2006,2007 John Peacock

