From: dblack@...
Date: 2003-01-25T15:31:12+09:00
Subject: Re: wait for more perl programmers! (Re: Can we attack the 'not enough libraries' thing straight on?)

Hi --

On Sat, 25 Jan 2003, David Garamond wrote:

> dblack@candle.superlink.net wrote:
> > We've all heard this: "Ruby is great, but it doesn't have the
> > equivalent of CPAN."
> >
> > So, all you almost-satisfied Ruby programmers, what's missing? :-)
>
> yes, a CPAN equivalent is currently missing. however, worry not because
> ruby will attract enough perl programmers that sooner or later they will
> recreate a CPAN for ruby :-)

Rumor has it that a number of Ruby programmers have already manifested
an interest in this problem domain :-)

> i'm widly guessing that of 10 perl programmers that migrate to/try out
> other languages:
>
> - 1 will settle to python;
> - 7-8 will settle to ruby;
> - 1-2 will settle to other language;
>
> ruby tries very hard to be a better perl, while python is just too
> different from perl that perl programmers will miss all these features:
>
> - builtin regexes;
> - command line options (-i, -n, -p);
> - special variables ($_, $0..$9);
> - tainting;
> - all that nice quoting operators (qw//, qr//, qq//);

However, from the Ruby ToDo file:

  * discourage use of symbol variables (e.g. $/, etc.) in manual
  * discourage use of Perlish features by giving warnings.

:-)

> - obfuscatability (sp?);

Not sure about the spelling, but people should be warned that it's
not one of Ruby strong points :-)


David

-- 
David Alan Black
home: dblack@candle.superlink.net
work: blackdav@shu.edu
Web:  http://pirate.shu.edu/~blackdav