bug#10688: The default mode for Perl should be cperl-mode instead of perl-mode

[joe higton]

Hi,
     Essentially "cperl-mode" has long surpassed "perl-mode" within
the Perl community. The fact that perl-mode is the default is a
barrier to encouraging emacs use within the Perl community.

I was informed that I should post this as a bug here after I made the
following enquiry to the emacs developer mailing list:


"As an emacs evangelist in the Perl community I like to give
peopleadvise on how to get started using emacs for Perl
development.Unfortunately step 1 is to tell them that whilst the
standard emacsperl-mode isn't very good, it can be easily be swapped
for the vastlysuperior cperl-mode via a quick modification to their
.emacsfile... Getting them start hacking around in their configuration
filesisn't always the best start for people who are trying emacs for
thefirst time.
After a recent debate on the Perl subreddit I thought I'd come and
atleast ask the question: What are the chances of changing the
defaultemacs mode for Perl to cperl-mode? I realise that changing such
thingsfrom underneath users is probably something which you don't
undertakelightly, but cperl-mode seems to be mature and also the
establishedfavourite with developers, so I'd say there is a strong
case for this."
If this was the wrong follow-up course of action I apologise.

Thanks,
  Joe