Re: Total Perl Domination

[cjf]

I don't know what language we'll be using to solve ubiquitous, practical problems 20 years from now, but I do know it will be called Perl.

Don't be so sure. There are many other languages out there, all of which have their uses and several of which do what Perl does at the same level (or possibly even better?).

Many things change considerably over time as well. Will Perl be able keep up with these changes, or will it amass too much baggage to remain useful? Keep in mind that overzealous advocates who turn people off a language can be considered "baggage" as well.

You're also preaching to the converted here. I see far too many of these "Why Perl is so good" posts. It would be far, far better to focus on why Perl isn't so good, and how we can fix it.

That should be enough to get the flames started :).

[Aristotle]

In accordance to what I noted above: it would, if this place weren't about Perl - which has always been aware of the fact that other languages have their merits and concerned itself with how to learn from them, rather than how to be able to beat them in clash-of-zealots situations. Perl is humble.

Makeshifts last the longest.

[cjf]

I'm assuming you're referring to the last paragraph of my post(?). If this is the case please see any thread (either here or on any other Perl-related site) with "vs." in the title. That should provide you with plenty of counter-examples.

[Aristotle]

Ok, I may have been a bit dramatic. True enough, such debates are frequent in the community, but the "vs" in the subject offers no indication of whether it is a flame, and I find the majority of them are merely debates. Note if you will, that I said "Perl is..". In general, that refers to those who actively contribute to the language (in whichever form). I find that while they are passionate about the language, they also mostly keep a remarkably calm and unthreatened composure. It is often them who will step in to concede an inferiority of Perl.
____________
Makeshifts last the longest.

[ignatz]

> Don't be so sure. There are many other languages
> out there, all of which have their uses and several
> of which do what Perl does at the same level (or
> possibly even better?).

The language that will be the problem solver du jour 20 years from now will have more to do with what 800 pound gorilla is backing it and less with what it can actually get done. Perl will always be an underdog in the corporate world that we live in.

> It would be far, far better to focus on why Perl
> isn't so good, and how we can fix it.

I think that they have that pretty well covered.

()-()
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[FoxtrotUniform]

I don't know what language we'll be using to solve ubiquitous, practical problems 20 years from now, but I do know it will be called Perl.
Don't be so sure. There are many other languages out there, all of which have their uses and several of which do what Perl does at the same level (or possibly even better?).

That's pretty much exactly my point. There are many other languages out there, and the overwhelming majority of them do at least a few things better than Perl. But Perl has a tradition of embracing and incorporating the good bits, rather than sticking to its guns and pretending that it's way is the only way. (TIMTOWTDI, remember?) So (I contend that) Perl in 20 years may look nothing like it does now, but it'll still be Perl, not some language that replaced Perl's successor.

--
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[cjf]

Sorry, I wasn't very clear. By "and several of which do what Perl does at the same level" I meant what you are referring to - borrowing from other languages.