i am glad that you are thrilled about Java. i myself did the opposite, i came to Perl from Java. Personally, i would pick Perl any day of the week - but we all know that the correct choice is the 'right tool for the job'.

My point is that i envy you, because even though i like Java, it tends to frustrate me, simply because there is usually a slicker way to do it in Perl. I came from a strong Object Oriented background, even though the department i graduated from treated C++ more like 'C with structs that just happen to be objects' than a true Object Oriented paradigm. Luckily, i had a great professor that showed me a little SmallTalk, and a another awesome professor that taught a Java elective course one summer. I fell in love with Java immediately.

Then i saw Perl.

Perl shattered every preconception i had about OO practices, in particular, the fact that some of those practices are more 'anal retentive' than they are productive.

merlyn once told me that programming in Java after grokking Perl is like riding a motorcycle with training wheels. Now i understand.

i guess my biggest gripe about Java is it is simply too wordy. Too many objects. Too many committees deciding what to call methods and which classes they belong. Don't get me wrong - i am not giving up on Java. i participate on JavaJunkies and i rather like seeing Sun moving in on Microsoft's pilliaged territory.

i just like Perl better ;)

jeffa minor grammar updates applied