use ExtUtils::MakeMaker; my %opts = ( 'NAME' => 'Class::Base', 'VERSION_FROM' => 'lib/Class/Base.pm', ); if ($ExtUtils::MakeMaker::VERSION >= 5.43) { $opts{ AUTHOR } = 'Andy Wardley '; $opts{ ABSTRACT } = 'useful base class for other modules', } WriteMakefile( %opts );