Perl 5 runs on more platforms than the CLR and JVM do.
In theory. In practice, if it runs on one JVM, it runs on any JVM. No questions asked.
Perl is full of, "Oops, that crashes on Windows" traps. If you know where they all are, you can avoid them, but it's hard to be sure you've found the last one. The fact that the camel book has a section with tips for porters is telling.
There's a big difference between Java's robust guarantee of portability and perl's "best effort" philosophy.
>> If it's difficult to find great Perl developers, that's because [fewer] great developers flock to Perl.
> I would like to see non-anecdotal evidence for this.
No non-anecdotal evidence for this, sorry. It's just a result of thinking about what Perl offers and what current languages offer. I know Perl quite well, you know.
>> Heck, even the humble Javascript allows you to perform mind-bending dynamic feats.
> It's also borrowing features Perl has had for years. Hm.
Right. Just like Perl borrows features from other languages.
>> Other languages offer multiplatform support (native, Java, .NET) which Perl lacks.
> That definition of "multiplatform" differs from mine. Perl 5 runs on more platforms than the CLR and JVM do.
My comment is not about platform themselves. It was more about: "I need to hook this Java/.NET library" and then there are languages where you can just switch platform (interpreter or compiler) to interface such a library natively.
See, Chromatic, when I met Perl I was amazed by its capabilities and progressed to read advanced books about this language. But nowadays, after meeting other languages, I regret my time spent with Perl, and I wouldn't recommend such language to anyone, just like I wouldn't do that with C++, another language in which I have progressed to what I think is almost "wizardry".
After a lot of time spent in learning different languages, I do think that there are languages not worth learning. It may sound arrogant, but I think so, and I think that experienced developers have the right to think so and make newcomers spare time.
Do you think Perl is worth learning? You are entitled to that. Don't I think it is? I'm entitled too. And both of us are entitled to share our experience.
I would like to see non-anecdotal evidence for this.
Heck, even the humble Javascript allows you to perform mind-bending dynamic feats.
It's also borrowing features Perl has had for years. Hm.
Other languages offer multiplatform support (native, Java, .NET) which Perl lacks.
That definition of "multiplatform" differs from mine. Perl 5 runs on more platforms than the CLR and JVM do.