The Story
As part of my new contact I am able to release projects I write for work under an open license so I was thinking finally I would be able to release something large back to the community that has given me so much (if the community would want my stuff is another story).

The Question
With the impending release of perl 6 drawing ever closer (the truth is I haven't even seen a plan of when it's due) I have to ask, is this the best time to start a project that may not be released for another six months or more? For the sake of the story lets assume it has the potential to gather a community of hackers who will contribute but will there be anyone left who:
a) still writes perl (1)
b) cares about maintaining or contributing to a project based on an obsolete version of the language (which may still run but it's not the latest and greatest).

I may just be fluffing about over nothing but if it's not the right time for a perl project I might as well try to contribute elsewhere (I know I haven't mentioned what my project is but there are frameworks in other languages that will work almost as well as what perl has to offer).

update: I realise perl5 is not going away any time soon I'm more interested in how many people will still be interested in developing (not maintaining) perl5 code once the newer more flashy perl6 is out.


(1) Did I over dramatize? Everybody I have spoken to lately doesn't like the direction of perl 6 at all and most of them are now preaching the benefits of other languages (I have to admit my loyalty is to the language not the name so if I dont like it I'm not going to keep using it just because it's perl). I haven't payed much attention to community feeling on perlmonks or any of the mailing lists but is this widespread? How many people are unhappy with the direction?

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