Hi BrowserUK,

I'm not a programmer, just a storage guy on a look out for some automation and have already done some using Perl. So if whatever I say here sounds shallow or stupid, kindly pardon me.

Before I tried Perl, I tried Python. It was comparatively easier to learn. But, whenever I had to add some extra checks or functionality, I had to keep indenting. Which I don't like. Perl is not like that. It just lets me do my job. If I need to add something, it's comparatively easier in Perl.

I really like Perl, but I don't understand when people seem to have a puzzled look on their face when they see me using it. In fact, just today, while I was trying to automate some menial monitoring/health checks using Perl, my friend told me that I should focus on some other language because Perl is not being used much now a days. He hasn't written any scripts, he was just saying what "he keeps hearing from everyone". Which is something that is really sad.

In my opinion (based on very limited knowledge), Future of Perl is to a very insignificant, but equally definite extent being impacted by such folks who just keep thinking for some reason that Perl is stagnant. But Perl 5.20 was released pretty recently!! So how can it be stagnant?? :)

Funny thing was, though my friend said that, I could kind of see that he respected the fact that I am able to write something in Perl. Because Perl is considered as a more complex skill set than Python (His words, not mine. I am still Learning Perl and have no knowledge or ability to determine the said "complexity").

So while Perl is considered a stagnant language by a few people out there, it's also considered more complex skill. :)

I just saw your post and felt an urge to express what I felt and what I just heard today. Hope I don't end up ruffling some feathers here.