While trying to use CPAN, I encountered a problem with the configuration script for first-time use. It is asking 'Where is your links program? ][', and I have no idea what it is talking about. Any google searches for 'cpan links' or 'perl links' of course comes up with URLs/URIs to cpan or perl resources, but nothing about any 'links program'.

Coming from a C background, the first thing that comes to mind is a linker, but I don't know if there even is a linker in a scripted language.

Does anyone know what I have to put in here, or if I even have to put anything in here, given that the default is blank?

If I just use all defaults, all I get is the configurator trying to download a 'MIRRORED.BY' file from perl.org via LWP, which fails time and time again despite the port being open in netfilter/iptables and the hardware firewall at my coloc site.

It then tried to get the same file via ftp. The connection is made and an anonymous login achieved, then I get stuck waiting for PASV:

Trying with "/usr/bin/wget -O -" to get
ftp://ftp.perl.org/pub/CPAN/MIRRORED.BY
--09:54:15-- ftp://ftp.perl.org/pub/CPAN/MIRRORED.BY
=> `-'
Resolving ftp.perl.org... 129.128.5.190, 129.97.134.71
Connecting to ftp.perl.org|129.128.5.190|:21... connected.
Logging in as anonymous ... Logged in!
==> SYST ... done. ==> PWD ... done.
==> TYPE I ... done. ==> CWD /pub/CPAN ... done.
==> SIZE MIRRORED.BY ... 134616
==> PASV ...

This happens several times, before it finally gives up after some 20 or so attempts.