You're not going to want to hear this, but you should do the following faithfully:
  1. TYPE IN BY HAND every single example script, following along with the book. merlyn didn't write them for his edification.
  2. Do EVERY single exercise. merlyn didn't write them for him.
  3. Don't skip around. Every chapter builds on the previous one. If you finish a chapter, all the examples, and all the exercises and you're still confused, come to us with those specific questions, citing the chapter in the book you're confused with.

Heck, if you're willing to actually take a learning attitude, I'd be willing to give you my email and talk with you directly. But, don't come to me if the sequence goes something like:

  1. I skimmed the chapter.
  2. I read the exercises, kinda.
  3. I tried to write something and it didn't work.
  4. I complained to someone that Perl is stupid.
Every one of us didn't know Perl at some point or another. I taught myself Perl right out of Beginning Perl, first edition. You have the fourth edition. Lots of feedback has gone into it. If I can do it, so can you.

UPDATE: Apparently, I've confused Beginning Perl with Learning Perl. merlyn wrote the latter and that's what I learned from. I can't recommend the book highly enough. However, every pedagogical book, such as Beginning Perl will teach you enough IF YOU DO THE WORK. Books aren't magical tools that somehow shove knowledge into your head. Don't treat them as such.

My criteria for good software:
  1. Does it work?
  2. Can someone else come in, make a change, and be reasonably certain no bugs were introduced?

In reply to Re^5: Help with split() function by dragonchild
in thread Help with split() function by negzero7

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