It's also good timing b/c the current, October 2004, Google Zeitgeist has perl programming as the #2 pop tech query for the last month; coming in just after software. Reports of the demise are as ignorant as exaggerated. There is always room for another good tool in the box and only a poor craftsman blames tools he doesn't even use. :)

update: props to David Innes on the SPUG list for brining the Google item up.