Programming

I bow here to experts who use both Python and Perl.
I am au fait with Python and have done loads with it, especially writing code that works from Version 1.4.0 to 3.7.0 on varying platforms, some of it on here...

Well, I have been contemplating learning Perl.
I see many experts on here who have posted Perl code and it looks like it can do much like Python can.
I have '_heard_' bad reports about it however so this discussion will help me decide.

Question: Is it worth me expanding my knowledge to this language or just stick with Python - any version?

If so I may jump in at the deep end and do yet another AudioScope, I have already done the same for Python and much, much more mainly for the AMIGA A1200.
Any decent books you know of to purchase would be of help too.
I love hitting the hardware, ("banging the metal"), and this has to be taken into account for my final decision...

TIA Guys and Gals...

FWIW, maybe not much, I used to program extensively in PERL 20 years ago and at that time I was a huge PERL advocate.

Fast forward to 2019 and I never use PERL for anything, never.

EDIT: Maybe I should?

Banging the metal -

Some Solaris 10 & 11 performance and system analysis code runs using perl interfaces - Dtrace for example. Dtrace also runs on Linux, again perl is a major player.

Because of SciPy and NumPy a lot of scientists like myself use Python - more because of the libraries than for any other reason. For system stuff Dtrace is great.

No matter what you "hear" about any coding environment, there is a huge BS component to it. You should pick the tool that fits your needs - not someone else's perceptions. There have been a nauseating number of threads on UNIX.com in the past - 'What is the best language to learn (or to code in) ?' No language is perfect for everyone. Period.

Anyone who is a �decent�� programmer learns and in multiple programming languages.

And ....

Anyone who is a �decent�� programmer continually learns multiple new programming languages as time passes and technology changes.

As I said, I used to program extensively in PERL, twenty years ago but not now. Seems my use of PERL in day-to-day operations almost exactly follows the "Google Trends" curve, below:






Others are always free to do as they please, obviously; and for those who want to learn PERL, please do!

I used to love PERL for sure. As for me, I am definitely not into �tech nostalgia�� (that's just me); but then I do not collect stamps or old cars; but that is just me I am more of a �zen programmer�� and toss out unused tech in favor of the new. But as I said, that is only me. Others are obviously free to do as they like, of course; and that is how it should be.

I would not describe other's ideas and opinions here about "personal likes and dislikes regarding programming languages" at unix.com as �nauseating�� as MadeInGermany just did. Everyone is entitled to use any programming language they like and it is normal for most humans to have passion about things they like and dislike.

When someone asks for an opinion then everyone, rookies to "experts" are free to chime in as long as they follow the long standing forum rules. Here they are (again) as a reminder:

Yeah, however --C, LISP and Perl are not fads and even though tech changes rapidly there are some tech like C programming that is a mainstay. I would say a hacker needs a good understanding of C/C++,Python, Perl, Java and LISP. For hackers, learning Perl is good practically as it is the language used on many active web pages. Even though a hacker might not use any Perl code it is important to know how it should be read. And just to clarify I could be talking about grey hat and white hat hackers here just so I don't get banned.

However, that latter point is tricky as Python has clearer to read syntax. Perl leaves more room for artistic programming expression and 'there are many ways to skin a cat' which can make it difficult to read. Perl is basically like sed/awk but on steroids that is what makes it so good for tools like libwhisker/nikto for parsing through port 80 web insecurities.

I see you used google chart statistics and while obviously dramatic I'm sorry to say they are not as authorative as the Tiobe index.

Perl is still hanging on within the top 20 most popular programming languages which is pretty impressive given how long it has been around. LISP is not even on the list but I would learn it before some of the more fly-by-night trendy programming languages on there as it helps you think differently as a hacker. LISP is a challenging language to learn and requires more from the hacker with each interaction. For a hacker this is excellent news because it means that a continuous effort is being placed on their developing skill. The advantage of using LISP is that it has one result, it will make you a better hacker in the long run even though you it is unlikely to be used regulary. If you don't believe me about LISP read the book The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs it is a computer science textbook by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professors Harold Abelson and Gerald Jay Sussman with Julie Sussman.

It will still make you a grand master computer programmer today even though written in 1985 and updated in 1996. You know people still read K&R The Programming Language and use C programming too don't you know ?

P.S. Sorry, for going off topic with LISP but this guy already dived in head deep with making an Oscillograph with PERL so I decided to make this post for other readers who are interested in cybersecurity and also make the moral of the story that trendy new shiny languages are not always better although I am not denigrating Python here.

I had a lot of experience with perl, however I understood that perl is dying. Hence I would not recommend it to any beginner.

"Dying" is hyperbole. By that metric I'm sure awk has been dead for half a century. It still persists where its feature set is useful, as does Perl.

One thing that makes Perl especially useful is its excellent - and several - libraries for dealing with Excel files. If your question ends with "...with Excel files in Unix", 9/10 times the solution will involve Perl somewhere.

But the main thing I see Perl used for these days is DNA. Makes sense to throw the most featureful string language there is at the longest string there is...