Perl is a pearl

It has been almost a month since I posted any blog. Well, I have been busy. I have been working on this software which will run both on Unix and Windows platform. Since I am very comfortable with Korn shell, I wrote the script for Unix platform in no time. But when the time came to port it for Windows platform, I was clueless. To create scripts on Windows platform you have very few native options from Microsoft:

1. Batch files: Without elaborating further, if Korn Shell was a Kawasaki Ninja motorbike, batch files are cheap plastic tricycle.
2. VB Scripts: Now there was some viable alternative. However, after spending a couple of days, I realized that VB Scripts were not going to cut because of severe lack of IO redirection facilities. I think I realize what is wrong with Microsoft. They like to invent things which are already invented. Hey Balmer, why don't you send one of your smart guys for Unix training and you can actually catch up with the stuff invented in the seventies. It really works.

As usual, I was disgusted. I then said to myself, I am going to use something which is available for Unix and Windows both. I decided to use Perl, a cross-platform scripting language. Perl was used extensively in the early interactive web applications. It was extremely popular then suddenly I stopped hearing about it as much. I think it was because suddenly JSP, PSP, ASP, and so many other competing technologies were out there. People used whatever they became comfortable.

Anyway, I have spent last two weeks teaching myself Perl. I tell you, it has been hard. It has been hard because I took for granted that Perl was as powerful as Korn shell scripting language. Well, on the surface it is not. But keep in mind that Perl has been a work in process for so many years. I am sure the problems I ran into in the last few weeks, people encountered them years ago. So, like a close knit community, they developed these packages, which you can include in the base Perl and do everything you could do in Korn shell or any other scripting language. The reason why I even decided to write this blog is because of one specific site where I have been going for help. The site is called http://www.perlmonks.org. It has a great theme. All the Perl gurus are called monks and you go to them for wisdom. All the posts from stupid guys like me start with "Hello monks". It took me a while to figure out how to even post a question. Apparently, you click on "Seekers of Perl Wisdom" and scroll down to the bottom to post a question. They perhaps could have created a link like "Ask for Perl wisdom" or something like that. Anyway, it is a rather small point. I was amazed by the number of responses you receive within a few hours of posting the question. I was so overjoyed with the words of wisdom offered by monk Kyle in response to my first question. I wanted him voted as the monk of the year on the site (If there was such a thing). I observed that these "monks" not only answer the question, they take the time to try to explain the concepts and the context behind it. To me, that is true wisdom!!!

Now, I am back in the game. I ported my korn shell script to Perl and I learnt a lot while doing it. Now that you have wasted a good five minutes reading this blog I must point out some useful links to get started with Perl.

For Windows platform there is nothing better than Active Perl. There is of course perl.com, the site maintained by O'Reilly publisher. I found the follwing link very useful to get started with Perl. Other useful links are: http://perl101.org/ http://giantfir.com/perl_guide/index.htm http://www.well.ox.ac.uk/~johnb/comp/perl/intro.html

I am so thankful to these individuals, who have taken the time to develop these sites to benefit the community.