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Re: Is perl still the No.1 language for sysadmin?



On 4/2/23 09:31, Nicholas Geovanis wrote:
Python is a more modern programming language than perl, and more in the
European CS tradition. Larry Wall said ...


https://www.linuxjournal.com/article/3394

Marjorie: In what way is Perl better than other scripting languages such as Python and Eiffel?

Larry: Perl is unique, not just among scripting languages, but among computer languages in general. It's the only computer language consciously and explicitly designed to be postmodern. All other computer languages are still stuck in the modern era to some degree. ...

Modernism was based on a kind of arrogance, a set of monocultural blinders that elevated originality above all else, and led designers to believe that if they thought of something cool, it must be considered universally cool. That is, if something's worth doing, it's worth driving into the ground to the exclusion of all other approaches. Look at the use of parentheses in Lisp or the use of white space as syntax in Python. ...

In contrast, postmodernism allows for cultural and personal context in the interpretation of any work of art. How you dress is your business. It's the origin of the Perl slogan: “There's More Than One Way To Do It!” The reason Perl gives you more than one way to do anything is this: I truly believe computer programmers want to be creative, and they may have many different reasons for wanting to write code a particular way. What you choose to optimize for is your concern, not mine. I just supply the paint—you paint the picture.


David


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