Re: Kwalitee and has_test_*

[David Golden]

This is an interesting point and triggered the thought in my mind that 
CPANTS "Kwalitee" is really testing *distributions* not modules -- i.e. 
the quality of the packaging, not the underlying code.  That's 
important, too, but quite arbitrary -- insisting that distributions test 
pod and pod coverage is arbitrary.  If CPANTS insisted that all modules 
in a distribution be in a lib directory, that would be arbitrary, too, 
but not consistent with general practice (fortunately, it's written to 
allow a single .pm in the base directory, otherwise there has to be a 
lib directory).

The point I'm making is that CPANTS -- if it is to stay true to purpose 
-- should stick to distribution tests and try to ensure that those 
reflect widespread quality practices, not "evangelization" (however well 
meaning) to push an arbitrary definition of quality on an unruly 
community.  Devel::Cover is a useful tool -- but it pushes further and 
further away from a widespread distribution-level measure of quality.  
(Whereas I see pod testing as analogoous to a compilation test and pod 
coverage testing being a documentation test -- both of which are 
reasonable things to include in a "high quality" test suite.)

David Golden
Christopher H. Laco wrote:
Because they're two seperate issues.
First, checking the pod syntax is ok for the obvious reasons. Broken 
pad leads to doc problems.

Second, we're checkling that the AUTHOR is also checking his/her pod 
syntax and coverage. That's an important distinction.

I would go as for to say that checking the authors development 
intentions via checks like Test::Pod::Coverage, Test::Strict, 
Test::Distribution, etc is just as important, if not more, than just 
checkong syntax and that all tests pass.

Givin two modules with a passing basic.t, I'd go for the one with all 
of the development side tests over the other. Those tests listed above 
signal [to me] that the author [probably] pays more loving concern to 
all facets of their module than the one with just the passing basic.t

-=Chris