NAME
    Perl::Dist::Vanilla - Vanilla Perl for win32

VERSION
    This document refers to Vanilla Perl Build 4.

DESCRIPTION
    Vanilla Perl is an experimental Perl distribution for the Microsoft
    Windows platform that includes a bundled compiler. Vanilla Perl provides
    a Win32 installation of Perl that is as close as possible to the core
    Perl distrubution, while offering the ability to install XS CPAN modules
    directly from CPAN. Vanilla Perl aims to include only the smallest
    possible changes from the Perl core necessary to achieve this goal.

    Vanilla Perl includes:

    *   Perl 5.8.8

    *   Mingw GCC C/C++ compiler

    *   Dmake "make" tool

    *   Select CPAN modules

    Vanilla Perl is intended for use by automated testing systems and
    master-level Perl developers. The primary anticipated uses for Vanilla
    Perl include examining Win32-related issues in the Perl core, and for
    working on fixing complex dependency and Win32 platform bugs in CPAN
    modules.

    Vanilla Perl will eventually serve as the basis for additional Win32
    Perl distributions that include incremental bundled capabilities for
    general application development or application deployment needs.

    Vanilla Perl is strongly not recommended for general use on Win32
    platforms at this time for any purpose other than detecting and fixing
    bugs in Vanilla Perl and testing Win32 compatibility of various CPAN
    modules.

    Vanilla Perl will undergo changes without notice over time in an attempt
    to intentionally provoke errors and uncover problems close to the Perl
    core, so users should expect that it may unexpectedly display strange
    behaviours and various other problems.

    The Perl::Dist::Vanilla distribution on CPAN contains scripts and
    instructions for downloading component sources and assembling them into
    the executable installer for Vanilla Perl. It does not include the
    resulting Vanilla Perl installation itself.

    See "DOWNLOADING THE INSTALLER" for instructions on where to download
    and how to install Vanilla Perl.

    See Perl::Dist::Vanilla::Build at <http://search.cpan.org> for
    instructions on generating a Vanilla Perl installation and executable
    installer from scratch.

CHANGES FROM CORE PERL
    Vanilla Perl is and will continue to be based on the latest "stable"
    release of Perl, currently version 5.8.8. Some additional modifications
    are included that improve general compatibility with the Win32 platform
    or improve "turnkey" operation on Win32.

    Whenever possible, these modifications will be made only by
    preinstalling additional CPAN modules within Vanilla Perl, particularly
    modules that have been newly included as core Perl modules in the
    "development" branch of perl (aka "bleadperl") to address Win32
    compatibility issues.

    Modules or distributions currently included are:

    *   Win32API::File -- to allow for deletion of in-use files at next
        reboot; required for CPAN.pm to be able to upgrade itself

    *   IO -- to address Win32 Socket bugs

    *   Compress::Zlib, IO::Zlib and Archive::Tar -- to eliminate the
        CPAN.pm dependency on external, binary programs to handle .tar.gz
        files

    *   libnet -- provides Net::FTP to eliminate the CPAN.pm dependency on
        an external, binary ftp program; installed configured for FTP
        passive mode

    Additionally, a stub CPAN Config.pm file is installed. It provides
    defaults to the path for dmake, to automatically follow dependencies and
    to use the Windows temporary directory for the CPAN working directory.

DOWNLOADING THE INSTALLER
    A stable repository for Vanilla Perl is still in progress.

    Vanilla Perl Build 4 is available from <http://vanillaperl.com/>.

    Earlier builds of Vanilla Perl are available on Sourceforge.net as part
    of the Camelpack project: <http://camelpack.sourceforge.net/>

CONFIGURATION
    At present, Vanilla Perl must be installed in C:\vanilla-perl. The
    executable installer adds the following environment variable changes:

        * adds directories to PATH
            - C:\vanilla-perl\dmake\bin
            - C:\vanilla-perl\mingw\bin
            - C:\vanilla-perl\perl\bin  (prepended)

        * adds directories to LIB
            - C:\vanilla-perl\mingw\lib
            - C:\vanilla-perl\perl\bin

        * adds directories to INCLUDE 
            - C:\vanilla-perl\mingw\include 
            - C:\vanilla-perl\perl\lib\CORE 
            - C:\vanilla-perl\perl\lib\encode

    LIB and INCLUDE changes are likely more than are necessary, but attempt
    to head off potential problems compiling external programs for use with
    Perl.

    Users installing Vanilla Perl manually without the installer will need
    to change their environment variables manually.

    The first time that the "cpan" program is run, users will be prompted
    for configuration settings. With the defaults provided in Vanilla Perl,
    users may answer "no" to manual configuration and the installation
    should still work.

    Manual CPAN configuration may be repeated by running the following
    command:

        perl -MCPAN::FirstTime -e "CPAN::FirstTime::init"

CONTACTS AND BUGS REPORTING
    Currently, Vanilla Perl discussion is centered at win32.perl.org. New
    venues for discussion may be listed there.

    Please report bugs or feature requests using the CPAN Request Tracker.
    Bugs can be sent by email to "bug-Perl-Dist-Vanilla@rt.cpan.org" or
    submitted using the web interface at
    <http://rt.cpan.org/Public/Dist/Display.html?Name=Perl-Dist-Vanilla>

LICENSE AND COPYRIGHT
    Vanilla Perl is open source and may be licensed under the same terms as
    Perl. Open source software included with Vanilla Perl installations are
    governed by their respective licenses. See LICENSE.txt for details.

DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY
    BECAUSE THIS SOFTWARE IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO WARRANTY
    FOR THE SOFTWARE, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN
    OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES
    PROVIDE THE SOFTWARE "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER
    EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
    WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE
    ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE IS WITH
    YOU. SHOULD THE SOFTWARE PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL
    NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, OR CORRECTION.

    IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING
    WILL ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MAY MODIFY AND/OR
    REDISTRIBUTE THE SOFTWARE AS PERMITTED BY THE ABOVE LICENCE, BE LIABLE
    TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR
    CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE
    SOFTWARE (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING
    RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A
    FAILURE OF THE SOFTWARE TO OPERATE WITH ANY OTHER SOFTWARE), EVEN IF
    SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
    DAMAGES.

