I get the same error:

Use of inherited AUTOLOAD for non-method main::version::(""() is depre
+cated at /usr/local/share/perl/5.8.8/CPAN.pm line 10254.
Catching error: 'Can\'t locate auto/main/version/("".al in @INC (@INC 
+contains: /etc/perl /usr/local/lib/perl/5.8.8 /usr/local/share/perl/5
+.8.8 /usr/lib/perl5 /usr/share/perl5 /usr/lib/perl/5.8 /usr/share/per
+l/5.8 /usr/local/lib/site_perl /disk2/apache-2.0.59/conf) at /usr/loc
+al/share/perl/5.8.8/CPAN.pm line 10254
' at /usr/local/share/perl/5.8.8/CPAN.pm line 281
        CPAN::shell() called at -e line 1
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I just upgraded a bunch of modules on a box being prepared for production use. CPAN.pm is now 1.9205, and ExtUtils::MakeMaker is now 6.42 (both were upgraded, and one or both is contributing to the problem).

Using the CPAN shell, I can list the modules needing upgrading, and then upgrade one module. Any subsequent upgrades or lists of upgrades fail with the above error. If I exit the shell and restart it, I can perform the next upgrade. Installation of modules seems to be okay, until an upgrade takes place, and then installation fails too.