Re^2: When I'm arguing with a fool...

[punch_card_don]

An appropriate song from France by Pierre Perret that's all too true, and a good lesson to remember when one is feeling superior:

Qu'on soit con ou pas con
On est toujours le con de quelqu'un
Mais on est rassuré ŕ chaque fois
Qu'on trouve toujours plus con que soi

translated:

Whether you're a fool or not a fool
You're always someone's fool
But we're always reassured
'Cause we always find someone more foolish than ourselves

[mr_mischief]

You want to know something really foolish? How about ascribing to someone an emotion you only assume they are feeling, then chiding them for it? ;-)

As for loosening the foothold other languages have, that's nothing to do with myself or Perl programmers in general being superior to anyone. It's a hope that Perl, my preferred language, continues to have its strengths built upon and its weaknesses corrected. There is no tool that's best for every job, but then a general purpose language isn't so much a tool as a whole tool set. There's nothing wrong with having a favorite tool set so long as it meets your needs. The more Perl improves compared to other languages, the less often I need to reach for something other than my preferred tool set.

People involved with the communities around other languages should be hoping for the same thing for theirs. In fact, it's nice when another language shows Perl up in one way or another, only for Perl to catch up. Rivalries can be taken too far, but there's nothing wrong with Perl people voicing distaste for things in other languages that really do need improving and vice versa. In the end, it can mean several languages end up serving the needs of programmers better.

[punch_card_don]

Took me a minute to figure out what the heck you're talking about - then realized I hit the "reply" instead of the "Comment", and it looks like mine is directed at yours. Nothing could be farther from the truth. No offence meant.