On 03-Dec-99 Gunther Birznieks wrote:
> I think mod_perl is sufficiently hard that even as more people learn how
> to do the simple stuff, mod_perl will still be 'difficult' enough. I don't
> think it is like Java or Perl where the stratification is there in the
> language knowledge. Unless mod_perl itself gets easier, I don't see it
> beinglike ASP or JSP or Servlets (being a new technology people will
> eventually learn).
I don't see how people can say mod_perl is "hard". It's the Apache API in perl
(with some niceties). If you know perl, you learn the API and that's that.
It's no different than learning an API for some other product. Well, it really
helps to understand the response process of Apache.
You really can't compare mod_perl to ASP or JSP, though, IMHO. Compare those
two technologies to Embperl or ePerl or Apache::ASP.
> I don't think it is about training either. It's a matter of making
> mod_perl easier. It just really is not easy.
How are you going to make it easier? Create a GUI RAD IDE (gotta get in the
buzzwords) for creating handlers? One of the things I love about mod_perl is
that there are enough modules out there to do what you want most of the time
without writing your own.
> I bet there are a ton of
> people who find it hard to produce things in mod_perl andthen it's hard
> (and poentially mre expensive) for an ISP to generically support mod_perl
> (especially in a shared environment). etc...
The problem with an ISP supporting mod_perl is the fact that you're giving so
much power to your clients. It's very easy to bring down an entire physical
server by writing a bad handler (or even a bad embperl page).
> MiniGuide == ManyPagesGuide now. The fact is that the knowledge is there.
> But it really does require a guide that is that large to really know how
> to do good mod_perl code and exploit its advantages. And even then...
I don't think the fact that the mini-guide has grown so much is indicator of
how difficult it is to learn mod_perl. You'd have to read as much to write
stuff in ISAPI or NSAPI.
> Anyway, I'm off to write "Mod_perl in 21 days".
Please, do! I know alot of people feel that O'Reilly books are the only "true"
books about Unix and OpenSource technology but as more mod_perl books start
popping up there will be more in the stores to catch the eye of the next guy
who decides he wants to move beyond cgi or learn a new technology and maybe
he'll pick up the mod_perl book instead of the ASP book ISAPI book.
> Just kidding! (Although then you would be assured that Mod_perl is
> mainstream when you see that book!).
>
> Later,
> Gunther
---
Jason Bodnar + [EMAIL PROTECTED] + Tivoli Systems
That boy wouldn't know the difference between the Internet and a hair net. --
Jason Bodnar
