note chromatic <blockquote><em>If the Perl5 defaults are so error prone, then</em> why on earth didn't you work to change them in the perl core...</em></blockquote> <p>Backwards compatibility.</p> <p>I'd really like to say more, but I really shouldn't have to.</p> <blockquote><em>they will be enforced by others that don't have any clue about perl - our PHBs and project managers.</em></blockquote> <p>In the absence of PBP, clueless managers wielding arbitrary rules with little technical knowledge would wield arbitrary rules with little technical knowledge. That's the thing about justifying stupid rules--they don't need good reasons. They'll do it anyway.</p> <p>Meanwhile, capable people have one more tool and one more book to read to gain more knowledge--knowledge that some of us learned the hard way.</p> <p>I'm fairly bad with power tools. I'm also fairly glad that the people who came before me put safety guides on bandsaws. Yes, I know they don't prevent all accidents, but I have all of my fingers and toes today because the people who knew using power tools better than I did not only taught me how to use them well but helped put rules and guides in place in the hopes of preventing me from misusing them.</p> <p>I fail to see how that's a bad thing, or how people determined to do the wrong thing no matter the cost or justification make the existence of those rules and guides bad either.</p> 556406 596986