Re: functional functions

It sounds like what you're saying is that you've identified and learned the core set of functions and operators that you need to use on a daily basis to get your work done. If those 64 functions are all you need, then thank Perl for being so powerful. :)

I think we all know our own core set, determined (or at least influenced) by the projects we've been on. I think most people (including myself) tend to learn new things as new needs arise, but in addition I try to read documentation as I have time so I'm familiar with the capabilities of the language even if I don't remember the specifics (see also Zaxo's comment to this effect).

I don't think there is anything wrong with knowing only a subset of a language. In fact, I would guess very few people (i.e., the true gurus) really know all Perl has to offer. If the post you mentioned in the OP^* opened your eyes to a new function and inspired you to browse through the docs again, good! I hope you enjoy the the journey. :)

^*FWIW, I am not only familiar with pos, but I also used it for nearly an identical purpose as mdunnbass (searching a genomic sequence for matches to a query sequence).

Comment on Re: functional functions

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Re^2: functional functions by blazar (Canon) on May 30, 2007 at 10:42 UTC
It sounds like what you're saying is that you've identified and learned the core set of functions and operators that you need to use on a daily basis to get your work done. If those 64 functions are all you need, then thank Perl for being so powerful. :) Thoroughly seconded, although it would be fair to remind that there are also some functions like study and reset which are hardly useful nowadays, if they've ever been. Actually I was quite surprised when I discovered them. I don't think there is anything wrong with knowing only a subset of a language. I don't know for "a language", although I suppose that in most cases it is so, however that is certainly the case by design with Perl, as `$Larry` himself wrote. Of course, if you use it regularly and learn more and more along the way, you will become e more refined and knowledgeable "speaker". In fact, I would guess very few people (i.e., the true gurus) really know all Perl has to offer. I would dare to push that as far as to say that even true gurus have different areas of expertise and may not really know all that Perl has to offer.	[reply] [d/l]

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Re^2: functional functions
by blazar (Canon) on May 30, 2007 at 10:42 UTC

It sounds like what you're saying is that you've identified and learned the core set of functions and operators that you need to use on a daily basis to get your work done. If those 64 functions are all you need, then thank Perl for being so powerful. :)

Thoroughly seconded, although it would be fair to remind that there are also some functions like study and reset which are hardly useful nowadays, if they've ever been. Actually I was quite surprised when I discovered them.

I don't think there is anything wrong with knowing only a subset of a language.

I don't know for "a language", although I suppose that in most cases it is so, however that is certainly the case by design with Perl, as $Larry himself wrote. Of course, if you use it regularly and learn more and more along the way, you will become e more refined and knowledgeable "speaker".

In fact, I would guess very few people (i.e., the true gurus) really know all Perl has to offer.

I would dare to push that as far as to say that even true gurus have different areas of expertise and may not really know all that Perl has to offer.

[reply]
[d/l]