in reply to C vs. Perl

How would you write this in C? What about C++? Java? VB?

This isn't a tutorial, this is an advocacy. You're preaching to the choir. Present solutions in other languages if you want to write a 'vs.' node.

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We are the carpenters and bricklayers of the Information Age.

The idea is a little like C++ templates, except not quite so brain-meltingly complicated. -- TheDamian, Exegesis 6

... strings and arrays will suffice. As they are easily available as native data types in any sane language, ... - blokhead, speaking on evolutionary algorithms

Please remember that I'm crufty and crochety. All opinions are purely mine and all code is untested, unless otherwise specified.