Sorry, the context switched between your original post in this subthread and my post to which you replied.

Bart's post, mentioned the refusal of p5p to modify the magical open (eg. <>, which automagically opens the filename(s) contained in @ARGV), from the 2-arg variant to the 3-arg variant. I was questioning whether there was any need or benefit in making that change, for the magical open, rather than for the general case.

I was agreeing with bart that for the OPs use, the 2-arg version is preferable, and suggesting that for similar reasons, the 2-arg open was also appropriate for the magical open.

For the general case, and especially for use where security concerns are relevant, the 3-arg open is safer, but it also loses some functionality with respect to the 2-arg variant. That functionality, used correctly in secure environments makes perl script more flexible for the users and saves the programmer time (and his company money), by providing a rich set of facilities that are not only tried and tested (proper code reuse), but that also work in concert with the languages built-in security features (taint) to protect against the common programmer errors.

If you remove that functionality, either physically, or through misguided mandates (like suggesting that all uses of the 2-arg open are prohibited), then you force every programmer that needs that functionality to re-create it. Most will not do anywhere near as good a job as the p5p guys, and if previously unknown vulnerabilities do come to light, they will not be fixed and maintained with the timeliness and diligence that the p5p guys have historicaly shown.

The chorus of "thou shalt not use the 2-arg open" levelled against the OP's use exactly mirrors the fears I expressed in the subthread at Re^2: RFC: Perl-Critic policy: ProhibitInlineSystemArgs, when the Perl::Critic module was originally announced.

I won't repeat my arguments, but laws are complex beasts. You start with the incontrovertible "Thou shalt not kill", and then have to make exceptions--like you're a soldier defending your country; or a mother defending her child; or a policeman defending the general public; or a security guard defending your employers property; or a pious person defending your religion--and you are very soon on the slippery slope.

Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
Lingua non convalesco, consenesco et abolesco. -- Rule 1 has a caveat! -- Who broke the cabal?
"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.

In reply to Re^9: On being 'critical' by BrowserUk
in thread On being 'critical' by herby1620

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