From the docs: Whenever a connection to FICS is accomplished with the Peer -> Connect to FICS command, eboard will try to run a script named 'autofics.pl'. If you want to perform an automatic login, write an autofics.pl that provides your handle and password. *Notice*: the .pl extension is reminiscent from previous eboard versions where all scripts must be written in Perl. You can write autofics.pl in whatever language you desire, but the file name must still be autofics.pl. http://www.bergo.eng.br/eboard/doc.php?d=6
That's not the only thing that needs perl in the eboard package.
Please cite one such thing. Eboard works great without Perl.
Well it needs perl to build and then perl is run from the help dialog. You can feel free to maintain a local ebuild without the perl dep if you desire.
If it needs Perl to build, then dev-lang/perl should be in DEPEND, not in RDEPEND. Perl is indeed run from the Help dialog, with one purpose only: getting a Perl version in "Debug Info". In that dialog, Eboard also displays the versions of C++ compiler, expect, and FICS timeseal, on none of which it has a run-time dependency. It is an informative dialog for the benefit of users who want to write scripts. I know that I can maintain a local ebuild, but I also know that Eboard doesn't need Perl in any way, and it shouldn't have it in RDEPEND.
wow, that help dialog sucks. fixed.
