Dan Sugalski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> At 04:38 PM 2/15/2001 -0300, Branden wrote:
>
> >Yeah. Beginners. I was one too. And I remember always falling on
these...
> >But that's OK, since we probably don't want any new Perl
programmers...
>
> I've skipped pretty much all this thread so far, but I do need to point
> out
> that perl isn't targeted at beginning programmers, or beginning perl
> programmers. It's targeted at experienced programmers. If you learn a
> language you're a beginner once, and for a little while, but you end up
> experienced for a much longer time.
eloquent... clever... clear... true...
<clap clap clap>
> Perl has lots of stuff that'll trip up beginners. That's OK. People are
> clever, and they can learn.
The same things can be said for any language. Even VB (it takes a while to
get used to the bugs).
However, many of the things that trip up beginners in other languages,
including VB, aren't present in Perl. One of Perl's primary beauties IMO
is that it is appropriate to all levels of programmer. Most other
languages have a few bell shapes in their learning curve, with the largest
at the front. Perl seems to be a steady incline with a teensy little tea
bell at the front, which comprises mostly of the most important less of
all -- common to all languages -- the grand principle of RTFM. Other than
that, once you get past the "modem noise" shock, it's all basic
programming theory (if, unless, while, do, sub).
My hope for Perl 6 is that it doesn't break that with non-optional fluff.
p
