in reply to modules = minilanguages?

Quite certainly. An API gives you a vocabulary to describe some algorithm just like the core langauge itself does. They work on different levels, but the distinction is ultimately artificial. Functional programming languages have long advertised this fact, f.ex.

Makeshifts last the longest.

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Re^2: modules = minilanguages?
by Thilosophy (Curate) on Dec 22, 2004 at 09:04 UTC
    An API gives you a vocabulary to describe some algorithm just like the core langauge itself does.

    And the cool thing about Perl is that it is so flexible that a module cannot only add to your vocabulary, it can also change the grammar of the language.

[reply]

      To a certain extent. Perl5 is not close to the most malleable language in that respect. Most functional languages are much further along and have been for a long time, and Perl6 will be a world apart from Perl5. (I can't wait — I've said before that the thought of TheDamian tinkering with Perl6 gives me the shivers, both in a good and bad way. ;-))

      Makeshifts last the longest.

[reply]
        Thanks for the input, everyone. Oh, and why does it give you shivers?
[reply]

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