If "Perl 5 Version 10.0" is going to differentiate Perl 5 and Perl 6 as different languages, than it's also going to suggest that "Perl 5 Version 10.0" is very different from 5.8.9.

But it isn't.

Perl5 has been around since for over 14 years. Perl itself has been around for over 21 years. Perl 5.10.0 looks more like Perl 1.000 than Perl 6 looks like any version of Perl 5. The 5.X.Y numbering scheme predates Jon throwing mugs to the wall.

I'd say that if there's a need to differentiate between Perl6 and Perl5, it's Perl6 that ought to rename. (But that has been proposed several times in the past, and it hasn't happened, and I doubt it will - but then, perl6 is unlikely going to happen before my retirement).

Having said all of that, I don't think Piers will get his way. But he is (or was?) active in the Perl6 movement, so he may have more luck if he tries to rename Perl6.

---

---

• Are you posting in the right place? Check out Where do I post X? to know for sure.
• Posts may use any of the Perl Monks Approved HTML tags. Currently these include the following:

  <code> <a> <b> <big> <blockquote> <br /> <dd> <dl> <dt> <em> <font> <h1> <h2> <h3> <h4> <h5> <h6> <hr /> <i> <li> <nbsp> <ol> <p> <small> <strike> <strong> <sub> <sup> <table> <td> <th> <tr> <tt> <u> <ul>

• Snippets of code should be wrapped in <code> tags not <pre> tags. In fact, <pre> tags should generally be avoided. If they must be used, extreme care should be taken to ensure that their contents do not have long lines (<70 chars), in order to prevent horizontal scrolling (and possible janitor intervention).
• Want more info? How to link or How to display code and escape characters are good places to start.