the PyGames folks are putting out games because they work as a community tp produce high quality Python game libraries. There is no "PerlGames" community, therefore you shouldn't use Perl to program games.

This is self-defeating. There was not a PyGames community at one point either. This is also like saying "I should not write games in Lisp" or "I should not write a newsreader for EMACS". These things get done. Why? Because a true hacker does whatever the hell he wants -- and he is very bad at listening to those who say "can't".

Perhaps you tried to take too much of an evolutionary leap with your Quake3 project. There are tremendous efficiency issues here that would take a long time to conquer. However I know a bunch of folks are scripting Unreal engines with Lisp, using hand-rolled XML parsers. And it works. Who's to say Perl can't leverage a few native libraries and kick ass? It can. It just requires the nay-sayers to quit saying nay and finally do something.

Because a community or user base does not exist is not a reason to avoid development. That's only going to lead you to failure every time, in every thing that you do.

Because a community or user base does not exist is not a reason to avoid development. That's only going to lead you to failure every time, in every thing that you do.

This just isn't true. I use Perl for web development because there's a great Perl web-developing community. I've had enormous success doing so, and I credit the community for a lot of that. Where would I be without Apache/mod_perl, CGI::Application and DBI?

As an example, I've been tempted to do some web work in Scheme and Smalltalk, just because the languages are so damn cool. The problem is, I'd be practically alone. And that's just not a good idea. That's the wisdom I was trying to pass on to you: don't look for technology, look for community. Community is the important thing.

Can you start your own community? Sure! But do that first, don't just go off to your cube and start hacking. And realize that it's a much harder job than just writing the next great Perl graphics library.

-sam

As an example, I've been tempted to do some web work in Scheme and Smalltalk, just because the languages are so damn cool. The problem is, I'd be practically alone. And that's just not a good idea. That's the wisdom I was trying to pass on to you: don't look for technology, look for community. Community is the important thing.

Scheme and Lisp have extensive applications in the AI fields, you wouldn't be "practically alone" at all. Smalltalk also has a huge following among OO purists and isn't really "niche" either. Ruby is more niche than Smalltalk or Scheme.

Whether or not you think I need "wisdom" -- so do you -- Don't give up and don't be defeated so easily. You won't ever innovate if you are always a follower and are waiting for someone to go before you. Also, what is the life value in something if it is not "hard" ?

"Never give up. Don't ever give up" -- James Valvano