Re^3: Curious about Perl's strengths in 2018

You are quite right of course.

The criterion for relevance is not just technology as such.

Probably (I don't really know to be honest) you could do a lot of things that people use python's numpy & pandas for with perl's PDL, but then EVERYBODY uses numpy & pandas and if I want to learn about it I can even choose among several books if I want, while there is not a single book about PDL.

So on a pure technical level perl may be in contention, but in reality it isn't.

Python seems to be eating R's lunch these times and Perl is not even a contender anymore.

It was not inevitable to play out like this, to me this is (in a way) Perl vs PHP all over again.

Comment on Re^3: Curious about Perl's strengths in 2018

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re^4: Curious about Perl's strengths in 2018 by hippo (Bishop) on Apr 13, 2018 at 06:48 UTC
there is not a single book about PDL Other than The PDL Book, of course.	[reply]
Re^4: Curious about Perl's strengths in 2018 by eyepopslikeamosquito (Archbishop) on Apr 13, 2018 at 22:35 UTC
Python seems to be eating R's lunch these times and Perl is not even a contender anymore I sit near a PhD AI researcher at work and often hear her extolling the virtues of Python. I sometimes hear her defending her choice of Python over C++ ("I'm a scientist, not a professional programmer") but never Perl. Perl is not on her radar. At all. I never suggest Perl to her because, frankly, if I was working in her field I would also choose Python. This is not about technical capability, it's about alignment with colleagues in your field.	[reply]
Re^4: Curious about Perl's strengths in 2018 by LanX (Saint) on Apr 13, 2018 at 00:33 UTC
It's no wonder academia prefers Python. They respect well formatted code and clinical documentation, which gives the impression of an axiomatic system. Novel style perldocs with insider jokes? Golf code in form of an ASCII camel? Not their style. Cheers Rolf _{(addicted to the Perl Programming Language and ☆☆☆☆ :) Wikisyntax for the Monastery}	[reply]
Re^5: Curious about Perl's strengths in 2018 by Crosis (Beadle) on Apr 13, 2018 at 01:06 UTC
Python has a number of insider jokes as well. I think it's simply because modest early advantages to using Python for certain purposes eventually snowballed into the juggernaut we see today.	[reply]
Re^6: Curious about Perl's strengths in 2018 by Your Mother (Archbishop) on Apr 13, 2018 at 01:20 UTC
Early advantages? Could you cite some objective examples? Not packages or apps, but just plain Python versus plain Perl. PHP is a polished turd and it took the web from Perl. Winning is not necessarily an indication of a better underlying tool.	[reply]
Re^7: Curious about Perl's strengths in 2018 by Crosis (Beadle) on Apr 13, 2018 at 01:52 UTC
Re^4: Curious about Perl's strengths in 2018 by Crosis (Beadle) on Apr 13, 2018 at 00:17 UTC
Perl should have definitely trounced PHP. Oh well. I have more respect for R but it still does things like polluting the global namespace with historical datasets and requiring third-party add-ons to have actual hash tables. Its greatest strength is having all these libraries that minimize contact with the terrible underlying language.	[reply]
Re^5: Curious about Perl's strengths in 2018 by RonW (Parson) on Apr 16, 2018 at 22:53 UTC
Perl should have definitely trounced PHP. Oh well. From what I recall reading, years ago, it was because Perl trounced PHP that PHP took over the web. What I recall was that server operators were supposedly dealing with more problems caused by novice Perl programmers than by problems caused by PHP programmers. This lead them to decide that PHP's limitations were a benefit, not a liability. This then caused hosting providers to limit access to Perl by charging extra for it, or even just not allowing it's use.	[reply]
Re^6: Curious about Perl's strengths in 2018 by Crosis (Beadle) on Apr 23, 2018 at 06:54 UTC
What a terrible outcome. I wonder if people involved regret it.	[reply]


Perl-Sensitive Sunglasses
	PerlMonks