But if use types really means that variables must be typed, together with all other restrictions, this would just be a C (or C++) with Perlish syntax (and consequently a different language)

Which isn't necessarily useless. I could still imagine this to be useful as an inline language ( Inline::RPerl ) to avoid XS for inner loops where performance matters.

Yeah, the commandements reduce Perl to a managed-memory C without function pointers. As you say, it isn't useless if you want to avoid C and XS.

From the FAQ

Q: How does RPerl work?

A: The input to the RPerl compiler is low-magic Perl 5 source code. RPerl converts the low-magic Perl 5 source code into C++ source code using Perl and/or C++ data structures. Inline::CPP converts the C++ source code into XS source code. Perl's XS tools and a standard C++ compiler convert the XS source code into machine-readable binary code, which can be directly linked back into normal high-magic Perl 5 source code. The output of the RPerl compiler is fast-running binary code that is exactly equivalent to, and compatible with, the original low-magic Perl 5 source code input. The net effect is that RPerl compiles slow low-magic Perl 5 code into fast binary code, which can optionally be mixed back into high-magic Perl apps.

Now I remember Reini talking about it.

update

Though I'm not sure how the "mix back" is supposed to work.

IIRC from Reini's talk, something like Inline::Rperl is not intended.

Cheers Rolf
_{(addicted to the Perl Programming Language and ☆☆☆☆ :)
Je suis Charlie!}

LanX: This religious approach is really disturbing ...

funny, look around "Canon", you've been doing it for years