in reply to Should I learn perl 5 in 2015

Perl 5 and Perl 6 are completely different; so much so that some people believe Perl 6 shouldn't be called Perl at all. Perl 6 is 100% object-based (like Python) whereas Perl 5 isn't (you can do Object Oriented Programing in Perl 5, but that's not what it was designed around).

I started with Perl almost 15 years ago through a need in my then current job. It flourished from there, now I know Perl 5 exceptionally well, Perl 6 to a degree, Python very well and can understand a lot of C/C++ etc. Once you understand programming concepts in general, learning a new language's subtleties isn't that difficult.

I'd say start with Perl 5, but I'm pretty biased. It appears as though there are more opportunities for Python hackers, but I'm sure that's based on industry, location and a bunch of other things. There is definitely a market for Perl hackers to maintain, fix, update and even translate old Perl code in many businesses. Although I code Python for work now, I'm always dabbling in Perl. I love it.

Cheers, and good luck!

-stevieb

ps. There is a significant market for Java developers, so keep that in mind too.

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re^2: Should I learn perl 5 in 2015
by Your Mother (Archbishop) on Jun 10, 2015 at 23:52 UTC

    Python is doing well but only reached job listing parity with Perl last year according to indeed.com; and this year doing better. The most new opportunities in high level languages are likely to continue to be in web, telecom, and, with federal laws regarding medical records finally coming to deadlines, medical. Java has the real toe-hold there with Perl trailing but included in some important and winning “greenfield” companies; JavaScript being the wild-card since in-browser graphics are increasingly important. I only see Python as an advantage in “big data” and only because of Google’s choices.

[reply]

      Thanks for this info Your Mother.

      As I said to ww, I'm not a programmer (in the typical sense) so it's just what I see in what I do.

      I'll code in any language to make my life easier, and as I said in my original reply, jobs per language are based on many things and I'm definitely not authoritative on the subject. For me, Perl is everything. I can code circles in Perl around many 'programmers' using any other language for the work I do and have done in the same amount of time (especially thanks to those on PerlMonks).

      I'd choose Perl 5 over any language, any day, if I got a side job for anything where a program would be needed. Besides, I've been here on PerlMonks for ~six years now, and know a LOT of people here who I could pass a job onto if ever necessary.

      -stevieb

[reply]

In Section Seekers of Perl Wisdom