[geeks] Go Apple....

[David Cantrell]

On Mon, Jul 29, 2002 at 07:03:22PM -0400, Greg A. Woods wrote:

> Everything perl can do something else can do cleaner and/or better.

I won't disagree, because for each individual thing it can do, there will
always be a special-purpose tool which will do the job either cleaner or
better.  However, your insinuation that perl is therefore not the right
tool for any task is just plain stupid.  It ignores the fact that whilst
each small part of a problem may be better done with a different tool,
there is often no other single tool that can do all of those tasks so
easily.

> You don't need an insidious conspiracy to still brainwash people into
> using something like perl.  My point is/was that the type of people who
> are perl programmers don't want to write good, clean, maintainable
> code.

So I don't want to write good, clean, maintainable code?  Evidence, if you
please.  I'd *love* to see the evidence you have to back up this assertion,
as it certainly contradicts my own experience and my own knowledge.

Actually, fuck it, I'm not going to wait for this evidence which you won't
be able to produce.  So Greg, please, if you want to peddle lies and deceit,
kindly do so elsewhere.  Additionally, if you want to not look like a
complete idiot, you might like to pick on an easier target.  You're a
bantam-weight going up against a heavy-weight here.

>        They cheer Conway when he describes the insidious features that
> make a program such as SelfGOL possible to write in chicken scratches
> that even make a TECO user sigh with sadness.

Here, let me turn that stick around for you.  You appear to be holding the
wrong end.

Now, let me spell it out for you in little bitty words that you might
understand: SelfGOL is silly.  It's clever too.  But it's not good.  You
should also note that it is possible to write impenetrable code in any
language and that perl is not unusual in this regard.

When I saw Damian give his talk on SelfGOL, I applauded with the rest of
the audience, because he gave a damned fine, jolly amusing talk.  I did
not applaud SelfGOL.  Damian himself doesn't applaud it.  In fact, right
at the start of the talk he says that this is not how to program.  Perhaps
you should pay more attention.

> > Finally anyone who writes more than 300 lines in
> > one perl program, needs to drop the keyboard,
> > come out with his hands up, and taken to the
> > proper authorities. :)
> On that we agree, but I'd put the limit down around two lines,
> especially if they're the kind of lines one finds in SelfGOL.

I'd agree with you, anyone who writes code like that for any reason other
than fun should be taken out and shot.  I'll let you know just as soon as
I find such a person, so that we can do the deed together.

-- 
David Cantrell    |    Reprobate    |    http://www.cantrell.org.uk/david

       23.5 degrees of axial tilt is the reason for the season