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Perl

Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2002 2:26 pm
by RocketPro
I am a beginner PHP programmer (I am learning the language simply because I am attempting to translate a Perl script bundle into the three most common CGI languages on the internet... Perl, PHP and ASP.

PHP and Perl arn't really all that different, similar syntax and environment, even some similar (if not identical) functinos, Larry Wall (the "inventor of Perl) isn't going to like that ^^. I just can't really get cookies or any paramaters (you know, like from form fields) to work for me...

WARNING!: If you arn't in the mood for reading a long "paragraph" where I do nothing but boast about my "mad" programming skills (in Perl, :oops:, obviously) and try to sell you stuff (okay, maybe not, it wouldn't hurt though) you might as well hit the "back" button on your browser window now, 'cause once I start, I don't shut-up. I HAVE GIVEN YOU FAIR WARNING!



My bundle so far includes a message board, hit counter (graphical or textbased), guestbook, poll script and another script that ties (literal, not functional) them all together as one massive program. The main script is required to run the others... but these "add-ons" come seperately and incorporate my "own language" which will allow different CGI versions to compile (after the first time, they stay compiled) from one single file. Also I have built-in a self-install feature for licensed (yes, I've already sold the Perl version) add-ons.

Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2002 3:50 pm
by BDKR
PHP and Perl arn't really all that different, similar syntax and environment, even some similar (if not identical) functinos, Larry Wall (the "inventor of Perl) isn't going to like that ^^. I just can't really get cookies or any paramaters (you know, like from form fields) to work for me...
Why do you say that? I think Larry is one of the coolest and most expressive voices in programming today. I love hearing what guys like he and John Carmack. These are the kind of guys that make this field a blast.

But anyways, and this will sound a lot like Larry or Rasmus, Perl was not designed to solve the
Internet problem, nor was PHP designed with the same things in mind that Perl was. The fact that they are both more and more everyday becomming fantastic general purpose languages isn't suprising either. People use what they like.

It is indeed and Apples and Oranges comparison.

Now I will say that I love PHP, but my scripts tend to look like Perl scripts as I prefer the "#" comment to anything else. But Perl is AWESOME in it's expressive power. There are so many things that I keep finding in Perl that simply don't exist in PHP. Here is a short list.

:: until
:: do until
:: unless

Perhaps control structures like those above can lead to some rather difficult looking code (for lack of a better term), but the greater the expressive power of a language, the greater it's potential for elegant solutions.

So, I like PHP and Perl both the same amount. Therefore, there isn't an option for me on the poll.

Cheers,
BDKR