On Wed, 4 Apr 2001, Simon Cozens wrote:
> On Wed, Apr 04, 2001 at 10:31:41AM +0100, Mark Fowler wrote:
> > Perl is easier to parse simply because all the irregularities are known
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > and documented. They're not in English. In addition to the above
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Uhm, where?
The perl source code *is* the documentation. There is no direct equivalent
for the English language, as it is really whatever we think is the case at
the time - or, more accurately, what the largest number of the intended
audience would understand it to mean.
> Perl requires a similar amount of knowledge to parse, although the
> knowledge is rather more domain specific - what subs are defined, what globs
> are available, what packages are defined, what filehandles are open, and so
> on.
Ah, but with perl code there is a definite 'correct' parsing (whatever
/usr/bin/perl does[1]) but with the English language that isn't true.
Later.
Mark.
(Waving hands around in the air as he speaks)
[1] This is that there is only one 'correct' parsing. This may not be
what you thought you meant, or the coders who coded perl itself thought
you would have meant...but it is what you said.
--
print "\n",map{my$a="\n"if(length$_>6);' 'x(36-length($_)/2)."$_\n$a"} (
Name => 'Mark Fowler', Title => 'Technology Developer' ,
Firm => 'Profero Ltd', Web => 'http://www.profero.com/' ,
Email => '[EMAIL PROTECTED]', Phone => '+44 (0) 20 7700 9960' )
