Subject: ANNOUNCE: Tom-2.00 FinalBeta
From: James Duncan <[email-masked]>
Date: 11 Oct 1997 16:36:25 GMT
Newsgroups: comp.lang.perl.announce,comp.lang.perl.modules

TOM - The Transportable Object Model 
------------------------------------
- final beta is now available.  

TOM allows you to transport perl objects between different systems without
requiring that the class exists on any particular system.

TOM is also being designed as a base for Agent type systems in perl, and
more specifically the new Agent module, of which information is available
from http://www.engsoc.carleton.ca/~spurkis/Agent.shtml.

The project web page for TOM and download information is available at the 
following url:

	http://www.hawk.igs.net/~jduncan/Tom/

In addition, there is a mailing list suitible for discussing Tom or any
other agent related system in perl - the Perl5-Agents mailing list.  To
subscribe send mail to: [email-masked] with the text:
	subscribe <[email-masked]>
List traffic is very light, and is handled via the address 
	[email-masked]

The README file enclosed in the TOM distribution follows.

Regards,
James.
--
James Duncan || [email-masked]
IGS Hawkesbury Systems Administrator
Phone 613-632-4075  Fax 613-632-8137
web http://www.hawk.igs.net/~jduncan

---
  	     Transportable Object Model (TOM) Kit for Perl

			     Version 2.00

			     ( FinalBeta )

		 Copyright (c) 1997, James Duncan

    This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
    it under the terms of either:

	a) the GNU General Public License as published by the Free
	Software Foundation; either version 1, or (at your option) any
	later version, or

	b) the "Artistic License" which comes with this kit.

    This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See either
    the GNU General Public License or the Artistic License for more details.

    You should have received a copy of the Artistic License with this kit,
    in the file named "Artistic".  If not, you can get one from the Perl
    distribution. You should also have received a copy of the GNU General
    Public License, in the file named "Copying". If not, you can get one
    from the Perl distribution or else write to the Free Software
    Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.

TOM Kit, Version 2.0 (Beta 4 final)
-----------------------------
This, the newest version of the TOM (Transportable Object Model) features an
enhancement significant enough over the original, as to warrant a new major
version.  

TOM allows you contain objects within a TOM object.  This TOM object can
then be flattened into a general container which can be passed from machine
to machine.  The objects stored inside the container will run on any perl
machine, provided the Tom module is installed there.

Improvements over beta 3 are subtle improvements with mostly background
devices that do not affect the user of the module.

There is however, (I wouldn't want to disapoint you), a major new feature in
the insert method.  If you have not declared any functions inside the TOM
container, the container will search your @INC path, and try to
automagically create a TOM container from whichever module the object
belongs to.  Of course this doesn't work with anything that requires XS,  or
anything that requires anything else.  I am working on a traverse-type
feature to the Tom::cc method, so it will follow 'use' statements.  However,
this won't really be practical until the multiclass work has been finished,
which brings me to another point.

Tom::Multiclass will be released later on, as a seperate distribution.  Tom
is getting complicated enough, without worrying about a recursive cc for
now.

This is the *final beta*.  The API is frozen.  In case of major problems, it
could be altered, but I don't forsee any (famous last words) - in the case
of any smaller problems the fixes will be made in later releases. 

A mailing list out there is appropriate for discussing Tom.  Subscribe to
[email-masked] using the standard subscribe [email-masked]
syntax.  You can send mail to the list at [email-masked].

Changes since Beta 3
--------------------
+ Tom makes sure any inserted object belongs to the class contained within
  the Tom object.
+ Added documentation for the 'methods' method.
+ AutoInsertModuleCompile (for want of a better name) now works.
+ Some methods are protected with my protect module
  	(from .../CPAN/authors/id/JDUNCAN/)
+ Tom only optionally exports both 'cc' and 'repair'.  This is because
  Tom::Multiclass will also optionally exports 'cc' and 'repair'.
+ Smarter Makefile.PL - informs you if Tom will or will not work with
  the current system configuration.
+ test suite available.
+ added a HINTS file to explain some ways of getting the most out of Tom.
+ killed the network stuff - the liklihood of anyone using such a primitive
  wrapper around IO::Socket is a) not very, and b) useless anyway.
+ perl5.004 required.
+ Tom should now run under strict, however, it is not recommended, as other
  peoples non-strictsafe code will cause errors.
+ Added a MODULES file which lets you know what modules you'll need and
  where to get them.
+ Tom::MultiClass will be released later on, in a seperate distribution.