CPAN Releases Screensaver
The CPAN Releases screensaver shows perl modules as they are uploaded to CPAN, key-less. It's free, runs in your browser, and ESC exits.
Live preview
Press ESC to leave fullscreen. Settings are saved in your browser only.
How the CPAN Releases screensaver works
The saver reads the source described above and draws it on a canvas — no account, no tracking.
Perl modules as they are uploaded to CPAN, key-less. CPAN is the oldest continuously running package archive of its kind and it still moves: the same author will often ship three point releases in an afternoon. Author IDs are shouted in caps by long tradition.
It refreshes on a schedule, so what you see stays current.
Colours and any options can be changed in settings; nothing is stored beyond your own browser.
CPAN and the long life of Perl modules
CPAN, the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network, is a large collection of Perl software and documentation, mirrored by many organisations around the world. Wikipedia dates it as conceived in 1993 and online since October 1995. MetaCPAN is a free, open API and web service built on Elasticsearch that provides metadata about CPAN modules, authors and releases.
Perl code is shared as distributions, packages that normally contain at least one module, and are uploaded through PAUSE, the Perl Authors Upload Server, which requires a PAUSE ID. New uploads are mirrored to CPAN hourly and then on to the other mirrors. CPAN Testers is a collection of test results for modules on different platforms, run by volunteers who test distributions as they are uploaded.
Releases on the board often come from the same author in quick succession because Perl distributions are frequently small and maintained as families. An upload shows a version exists, not that it is stable: a version with an underscore, or a name ending in -TRIAL, marks a developer release, which PAUSE leaves out of its index.
A worked example
Perl modules as they are uploaded to CPAN, key-less. CPAN is the oldest continuously running package archive of its kind and it still moves: the same author will often ship three point releases in an afternoon. Author IDs are shouted in caps by long tradition.
Settings & tips
- Accent and Background recolour the display.
- Every value on screen comes from the live source — nothing is simulated.
- Press ESC to leave fullscreen.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this real data?
- Yes — it comes from the source named on this page and is refreshed on a schedule.
- Is a key needed?
- No. This source is fully key-less.
- Is it free?
- Yes — free, no download, in your browser.
- What is a distribution in CPAN?
- A packaged bundle of Perl code, normally containing at least one module, along with its documentation and tests, and carrying a version number.
- What is CPAN Testers?
- A collection of test results for modules on different platforms, produced by volunteers who test distributions as they are uploaded.
- What is a developer release?
- A pre-release version, marked by an underscore in the version or a -TRIAL suffix in the file name. PAUSE does not index these, but testers can still pick them up.