punkish has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:
Sadly, even after having used Perl for several years, I am confused by where Perl is going.
Perl 6, by its name, implies that it is the next version of Perl, the one after Perl 5. Yet, if I want to install Perl 6, I am directed to "Rakudo Star," a "compiler" based on "Parrot," a virtual machine. Whoa! What happened here?
Seriously, was there a creative naming contest? Was there a, lets-see-how-confusing-we-can-get contest?
Will this be resolved when the "next major version of Perl" arrives? I can't imagine trying to explain to folks that Perl 6 is a "reference specification" and not a language (compiler, virtual machine... whatever).
On the other hand, all this confusion could merely be limited to me and no one else. Would knowledge monks please clarify?
By the way, I installed "Rakudo Star" on my MacBook, and am thoroughly enjoying the new language, and the new yet familiar way to program. Nice job you all.
Update: After a bit more tinkering with Perl 6, I am loving it even more. Its just so... modern. I wish its developers all the success and speed. I can't hardly wait for the first production/stable version to arrive. Many thanks.
when small people start casting long shadows, it is time to go to bed