Not a whole thread, but this sums up my feelings on the matter fairly well: (tye)Re2: 'Tailing' a File?

There is no black and white. Using modules is very often a good idea. Reading the source code for modules can be a faster way to learn than trying to reinvent them. Installing modules can be a huge pain. But asking for a solution that uses no modules raises a red flag to me as many modules are as easy to install as whatever you might rewrite the module as.

        - tye (but my friends call me "Tye")