Re^2: So, just what exactly is it about Perl?

[BUU]

Trying to learn a new language that at first sight is very poorly documented (no -- votes for this please... i have been using perl for a few months before finding this site, and learning how to use the docs properly)

I'll refrain from downvoting you, but let me ask this: What makes it "poorly documented"? Did you not install the documentation that comes with it? Could you not figure out how to use it? And a more useful question, what would have improved your perception of the documentation?

People always go on and on about php's wonderful documentation, and I just don't understand it. They don't even have a command line tool for access documentation do they? So what could be improved about perl's documentation? Surely not the quantity. Perhaps the quality? Or is it just too hard to use? Maybe it needs a better website?

[monoxide]

Probably the fact i didn't realise there was a command line tool for accessing the docs. I am used to having either text file, or .doc or decent online documentation/tutorials (damn windows users). But i know alot of people who don't want to learn perl because of a percieved lack of online documentation and tutorials and places for help. A few i have refered here, but i don't know if they have ever looked.

[ikegami]

In unix, man perl works as expected. In Windows, ActivePerl installs HTML documentation and I think it creates a shortcut to it. perl.com, perl.org and ActiveState.com all have HTML versions of the documentation. Am I missing something?

[Your Mother]

I don't think you or BUU are missing anything except the perspective of the newly arrived immigrant. Perl has a great doc base but I didn't know about any of it till I'd been coding perl for almost a year. It's nobody's fault, it's that Perl attracts those who don't have a programming background. Many of the hackers here are computer scientists and engineers but a lot of the hackers in perl at large are English majors, designers, linguists, biologists, etc who, being self-taught, may well have never heard of "man" or "perldoc" and don't know where to turn for help besides the top matches on Google for perl like, unfortunately, Matt's Script Archive.