Unfortunately, I don't agree with it as stated.

Perl didn't kill the "one tool, one job well" way of doing things. In fact, as Linux becomes increasingly popular, that approach to doing things is (re)gaining ground. What the statement that Perl has delivered the eulogy for that approach fails to recognize is that Perl isn't "one tool for many jobs" — it's a simple, powerful, flexible tool factory.

Whereas previously users of Unix systems either had to create their tools the "hard way" or just use the tools that were available, with Perl they have the opportunity and ability to create new tools as they're needed, quickly, efficiently, and with great enthusiasm and alacrity. If anything, Perl is the salvation of the "one tool, one job well" approach to computing, and I'm glad for that. That's one reason I'm a Linux lover, and avoid Windows where it's practical to do so! Perl just makes Linux even more a "one tool, one job well" OS by ensuring that if the tool I need doesn't exist, it will as soon as I get around to making it.

Perl is more than a universally featured tool, which is a good thing: we don't need that kind of bloat.

Give a man a user friendly, many featured tool, and he'll compute for a day. Give him Perl, and his enthusiasm will last his whole life.

- apotheon
CopyWrite Chad Perrin

In reply to Re: Perl credited with changing the rules by apotheon
in thread Perl credited with changing the rules by mr_mischief

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