From: Pat Eyler <pate@...>
Date: 2002-06-01T02:32:21+09:00
Subject: RE: Ruby jobs

On Sat, 1 Jun 2002, Sean Russell wrote:

> james@rubyxml.com wrote:
> > I'm always amused when I see someone write Perl using ALL CAPITALS.
> > (Though it's even funnier when people write JAVA.)
>
> You're spot on about Java, but PERL is a correct spelling.
>
> I've read that the /preferred/ spelling is Perl, but the name "Perl" itself
> originated as an acronym: "Practical Extraction and Reporting Language", so
> it is proper to capitalize it.  Especially since the word doesn't exist
> outside of the programming context (except, perhaps, as a proper name for a
> person).

Not quite, Perl started as Pearl, named for Larry's girlfriend at the
time.  When he found that Pearl the language existed, he shortened it to
Perl.  (Note thought that 'Practical Extraction And Reporting Language'
would still work for the earlier name as well.)  (Also note, I believe it
had another name before Pearl ... but can't remember what it was.)

>
> Technically :-)
>
>

-pate