in reply to One-Line Web Counter

Stop reinventing the wheel. 
use File::CounterFile;
use CGI qw(:all);
print header('text/plain'), File::CounterFile->new("/path/to/file")->i
+nc;

[download]

-- Randal L. Schwartz, Perl hacker

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Re: Re: One-Line Web Counter
by shotgunefx (Parson) on Sep 10, 2001 at 13:23 UTC
    Let me preface this by saying the following.
    Your books and articles have been an incredibly tremendous help to me over the years. That being said, maybe you should lighten up. Maybe I'm reading the wrong tone into it, but I can almost hear the scolding condescending voice. (Or perhaps it's lack of sleep making me hear things.)

    Sometimes you have to take things apart and put them together just for the experience. You learn a lot more that way (Even if it doesn't go back together quite right.) Would you not agree that you will learn more by hacking through a problem then by saying use Some::Module;?

    I'm not discouraging the use of Modules, far from it. But sometimes you have to do things the hard way, just to do it. I don't think this is a particularly worthy example, but in general, there seems to be a bit of ambivalence towards people who want to solve problems themselves instead of using a CPAN solution.

    -Lee

    "To be civilized is to deny one's nature."
[reply]
      Based on having seen multiple people with the same exact misunderstanding over the years, and having talked about it with merlyn before, I can virtually guarantee that you are misreading his tone.

      Also note that modules are best for solving problems that are frequently reinvented badly. Web counters certainly are a prime example of that...

[reply]
        I thought I might be misreading it which is why I said, "Maybe it's me", but it did seem to have a curt tone. More than a couple posts of merlyn's have struck that chord with me. Don't get me wrong. I probably use one of his books or articles every single day. Even if he was unbelievable belligerent (He's not), I'd still listen to him because he knows a hell of alot more than I and I've learned a hell of a lot too.

        Like I said, this thread is not a particulary worthy example, but what I was more addressing is an attitude I've perceived at the Monastery.I really think there is a lot to be learned by doing things the hard way sometimes. I use modules all the time, but when I started, I didn't have the luxury. Hell, I didn't have docs for most stuff. Just wading through ASM,C and x86 docs from the library. Trial and Error is a tough way to learn but I think you learn a lot more from solving a problem than reading it's answer.

        I'm not suggesting rebuilding the wheel over and over, If someone asks a question and there is a good module, that's the first place I'll point them, but I've noticed that if someone doesn't want to use CGI.pm for instance, a lot of monks just start scolding.

        Now, if someone doesn't want to take their time solving a problem that has already been solved, I can totally respect that, but I don't think there is a need to harp on the person asking. Most people will just give up anyways and come around to the CGI.pm way. And the ones who stick it out? Maybe they'll come up with something even better. (As an aside, I almost always use CGI.pm or subclass it to meet my CGI needs)

        Just my 2 cents.

        -Lee

        "To be civilized is to deny one's nature."
[reply]

In Section Cool Uses for Perl