[Linux] Re: PERL SCRIPT WRITING

[Stuart D. Gathman]

On Sat, 3 Jul 2004, Jonathan Gathman wrote:

>    Regarding Perl:
>    If you have Linux, it's usually part of the installation, or you get 
> it off the disks.  Stuart usually recommends "freshmeat.net".  However, 
> there is also a "Perl.com", run by O'Reilly, the computer publisher. 
> That appears to be a center for downloading, so I'm sure it has Windoze 
> versions...

>    One of my coworkers recently taught a Perl class for our extended 
> group.  I will ask which book he used, but I suspect it was O'Reilly. 
> I'll write back when I hear from him.

I also recommend O-Reilly for learning Perl.  However, I also recommend
not spending too much time learning Perl - only enough to translate
to a better language.  I say this based on developing a variety of
projects in dozens of languages from assembler for half a dozen processors
to LISP.  I say this despite the fact that Larry Wall, the primary
architect of Perl may be a Christian.  

For a scripting language on the same level with Perl, let me recommend
Python.  You can download Python for Windows from www.python.org.  Various
tutorials are online, and there is the O'Reilly book.  However, the 
language and syntax are ridiculously simple (unlike Perl), so you
learn the features of the standard library, and how to think "Pythonically"
(e.g. list iteration and mapping).  I have "The Python Cookbook" which
will help with understanding the library and the Python Way.

I have converted several non-trivial libraries from Perl to Python e.g:

http://www.bmsi.com/python/pysrs.html 

and the Python code is half the size of Perl including extensive comments.
This despite Python using a minimum of special symbols - and hence being
much more readable, especially to someone not knowing the language.

The culture of the Python developers is more post-modern than Christian -
the language is named after Monty Python and that is the kind of humor
they enjoy.

What can I say?

-- 
	      Stuart D. Gathman <stuart at bmsi.com>
    Business Management Systems Inc.  Phone: 703 591-0911 Fax: 703 591-6154
"Confutatis maledictis, flamis acribus addictis" - background song for
a Microsoft sponsored "Where do you want to go from here?" commercial.