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Postings from July 2000
According to Flach, Robert:
> Could some one explain to me in what way perl is "too complex?"
"Using a simple tool to solve a complex problem does not
result in a simple solution." -- Chairman Larry
Ironically, the parts of Perl that are perceived as "too complex" are
sometimes those that are simplest linguistically, which are therefore
inadequate to the jobs that people are using them for.
Consider modules. Every module author needs to deal with $VERSION,
either @ISA/C<use base> or Exporter (and all of its *EXPORT* vars),
possibly AutoLoader, etc. The _language_ features involved are all
relatively simple. But module creation and management is a complex
task. And the result of using simple tools for a complex task is
complexity that _every_ module author has to deal with. The same
idioms ... or, worse, subtly different idioms ... are being invented
and re-invented and re-re-invented, all to no substantial benefit.
Therefore, one way I would suggest to simplify the *use* of Perl is
to move (most of) the functionality of Exporter into the language.
Similarly, piggybacking object attributes onto the existing data
structures (arrays and hashes) was a _stellar_ example of cleverly
upward-compatible language enhancement. I remain in awe of Larry's
ability to put OO support into an already-mature language by adding
only a few new features (bless, ref, "->", @ISA, DESTROY), only one
of which ("->") required new syntax.
However! The objects-are-just-blessed-data hack isn't comfortable for
most of the current population of Perl users, who started with OO of
some kind and only came to Perl later. The very simplicity of Perl's
OO makes it harder to use for complex jobs than it would be if it were
a little more elaborate. And C<use fields> just papers over a small
part of the issue.
In conclusion: Extending Perl may make it much simpler to use.
--
Chip Salzenberg - a.k.a. - <chip@valinux.com>
"I wanted to play hopscotch with the impenetrable mystery of existence,
but he stepped in a wormhole and had to go in early." // MST3K