>>> Perl talks XML if you want it to. Perl talks SOAP if you want it to.
>>> Perl talks to any database you want it to. Perl talks all network
>>> protocols.
>> I don't buy this. I think this is the definition of glue in 1985. I
think
>> Perl needs to look at how others have taken the idea of glue to new
>> places....
> Why? You keep saying Perl should look at others, but you never say
> what Perl would by changing to be just like the others.
I don't want perl to become like other languages. I want perl to evolve in
relationship with and in response to other languages within its environemnt.
>>> Abigail:
>>> Yeah, but Perl *is* an infrastructure. One that can fit anywhere, and
>>> that can be tailor made without too much of a problem. That's the power
>>> of Perl.
>>>
>>> Just because there's the network of interstates doesn't mean 4x4s are
>>> no longer needed.
>> I honestly don't get this. Can you expand?
> "interstates" == infrastructure. "4x4s" == big rugged cars that don't
> need infrastructure and can go where others cannot, even if they aren't
> the fastest/most efficient on an interstate.
I thought you said perl was infrastructure in the first sentence. So does
Perl = interstates or does perl = 4x4s?
>>> Abigail replied:
>>> Not when it's change for the sake of change.
>>>
>> I don't think I am advocating change for change sake. Have I come across
>> that way?
> Yes. The only argument why Perl should change I hear is "because others
> are different". I haven't heard one solid argument what Perl would
> gain by changing.
Not different. I think there are aspects of other languages that are
"better" than Perl. To be specific, I think Java does a much better job at
solving the problems of the enterprise application market. I also believe
that this is a niche that Perl can and should enter because, at minimum, it
would drive the language to improve. Not only is there lots of cool
technology to write into Perl but this market has the funds to invest into
R&D.
This belief drives all the emails I write on the advocacy list.
I also think that there are possible mixtures of Perl + Java or Perl + COM
in which the synergy of the combination is greater than the sum of both
parts.
