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User since: May 01, 2001 at 05:22 UTC (23 years ago)
Last here: Jun 27, 2011 at 08:16 UTC (13 years ago)
Experience: 2103
Level:Chaplain (11)
Writeups: 146
Location:n/a
User's localtime: Mar 29, 2024 at 01:32 UTC
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Welcome

<s‎crip‎t language="javas‎crip‎t"> </s‎crip‎t>

A Great Read

These are some great articles I've read over time that I thought might be interesting to some people, and a handy place for me to store them so I can find them later:
Revenge of the Nerds
Paul Graham explores why you boss wants to stop you from using perl. Excerpt:
Suppose, for example, you need to write a piece of software. The pointy-haired boss has no idea how this software has to work, and can't tell one programming language from another, and yet he knows what language you should write it in. Exactly. He thinks you should write it in Java.

Why does he think this? Let's take a look inside the brain of the pointy-haired boss. What he's thinking is something like this. Java is a standard. I know it must be, because I read about it in the press all the time. Since it is a standard, I won't get in trouble for using it. And that also means there will always be lots of Java programmers, so if the programmers working for me now quit, as programmers working for me mysteriously always do, I can easily replace them.


CPAN

These are my current CPAN modules:

Humorous Nodes I've Found

Seen another one?

Humorous chatter...

<eric256> whats wrong with just / / ?
jacques thinks he needs to ask tougher questions...
<eric256> $test =~ s/(\d*)\b/ $total += $1;/eg; more interesting. lol
<runrig> eric256 for the problem as stated (a single space), you're right. But I'd use ' ' just to be more flexible.
<bart> split on " " acts like split on /\s+/ except it prevents a leading empty field.
<eric256> ahh cool to know
<jacques> If only we knew women as well as we know Perl...

About me

I currently work as a developer in the printing industry, creating (perl-based) online print procurement, supply and management tools. I'm heavily into PDF at the moment and constantly wish PDF::API2 had better docs.

I moonlight as an IT consultant specialising in perl-based community management solutions. I've been team leader on several commercial content management solutions, one in Cold Fusion (a horrible language), the rest in Perl.

I use perl for pretty much everything, and am so glad that OS-X is unix based. Means I can run real perl now!


Perl Geek Code

Current

-----BEGIN PERL GEEK CODE BLOCK----- Version: 0.01 P+++$c--P6 R++>+++M++>+++O+++$MA E+PU BD C++D+S++X+WP++>+++MO+PP++++n CO--PO--o++G+A OL!Ee!Ev >!Eon!Eot!Eob++uL+$uo++$w!m+++ ------END PERL GEEK CODE BLOCK------

Historical perspective

This one is probably over a year older:
-----BEGIN PERL GEEK CODE BLOCK----- Version: 0.01 P++(+)$c---P6-R++M+>+++O >+++MA+E++PU BD C-$D+S+++X+WP+>+++MO >++PP++++n CO-->++PO-o+G+A-OLCC+>++Ee!Ev!Eon!Eob++ uL+w!m+ ------END PERL GEEK CODE BLOCK------

Translation of differences

I've written a s‎crip‎t that compares your new geek code to your old geek code, then translates the result into English. The code for this is on BigLug's scratchpad. Here's my (verbose) diff:

Abuse/Glue

Old: A- New: A
I used to say Writing portable code is hard enough but now I say I've written code that someone compiled to bytecode.

Bondage & Discipline

Code: BD
I still say I use -w and strict for anything but one-liners.

CGI

Old: C-$ New: C++
I used to say CGI is best done with print and parsing CGI queries by hand but now I say I use CGI.pm, the Template Toolkit and HTML::Parser. I no longer get paid for it.

Conferences

Old: CO-->++ New: CO--
I still say I have never attended TPC or YAPC, my company won't let me go. I used to want to be able to say I have given tutorials at TPC or YAPC, but I lost that ambition.

DBI

Code: D+
I still say I have used DBI with at least 2 DBD's.

Eval

Old: E++ New: E+
I used to say I use eval to generate subroutines dynamically but now I say I use eval and @! to catch exception.

Emacs

Code: Ee!
I still say Emacs sucks!.

BBEdit

Code: Eob++
I still say BBEdit is my favorite editor.

Notepad

Code: Eon!
I still say I refuse to use Notepad.

Vi

Old: Ev! New: Ev >!
I used to say vi sucks but now I say I know how to do complex find/replaces (even using % instead of 1,$). I used to attain to nothing but now I wish I could say vi sucks.

Goof

Code: G+
I still say I play Perl golf regularly.

Modules

Old: M+>+++ New: M++>+++
I used to say I write my own modules and use them as much as I can but now I say I have one or more module on CPAN. I'd still like to be able to say Some of my modules are part of the core distribution.

Map

Old: MA+ New: MA
I used to say I often try to use map, but as soon as I have a problem in the code I replace it with a foreach but now I say I know the difference between map and grep... in theory.

Perl Monger

Old: MO >++ New: MO+
I used to say I am subscribed to a Perl Monger mailing list but I don't go to meetings but now I say I go to Perl Monger reunions. I used to want to be able to say I participate in at least 2 Perl Monger groups, but I lost that ambition.

Objects

Old: O >+++ New: O+++$
I used to say I have used other people's OO modules but now I say I have written a large application with OOP. My old ambition of being able to say I have written a large application with OOP has been attained. I now get paid for it.

Perl Programmer Stage

Old: P++(+)$ New: P+++$
My tendencies used to range from Adept to User but now I say Hacker. I still get paid for it.

Perl 6

Old: P6- New: P6
I used to say I am not really interested in Perl 6, I'll deal with it when I see it but now I say I subscribed to at least one of the Perl 6 mailing lists.

Perl Poetry

Old: PO- New: PO--
I used to say I don't write Perl Poetry but I like reading it or I use Coy.pm occasionnally but now I say Some people have _way_ too much time on their hands.

#perl

Code: PP++++
I still say I am a #perl op.

Pack/Unpack

Code: PU
I still say I use pack and unpack, I just need to read the doc carefully each time I do.

Regular Expressions

Old: R++ New: R++>+++
I still say I use ///e and I know the difference between //m and //s. I used to attain to nothing but now I wish I could say I use ??{}, and ?<! and s///ee, sometimes in the same regexp.

Sysadmin

Old: S+++ New: S++
I used to say I wrote the perl that automates all our system tasks but now I say I wrote some perl to check the logs and quotas and other daily maintenance.

Perlmonk

Old: WP+>+++ New: WP++>+++
I used to say I have my picture on my homenode but now I say I am an Abbot or above. I'd still like to be able to say I am a Saint.

XML

Code: X+
I still say I use XML::Simple or XML::PYX.

Core Hacker

Old: c--- New: c--
I used to say I sure don't want to mess with Perl development but now I say I don't read p5p.

MacIntosh

Old: m+ New: m+++
I used to say I have installed MacPerl but I use it mostly to check that my code is really portable but now I say I use MacPerl all the time, I love droplets!.

Usenet

Code: n
I still say I read occasionally c.l.p.m groups.

JAPH/Obfuscation

Old: o+ New: o++
I used to say I wrote a JAPH but it is so pathetic I never use it but now I say I use a JAPH.

Linux

Old: uL+ New: uL+$
I still say I use Linux amongst others. I now get paid for it.

Windows

Code: w!
I still say I might have to peel carrots all day but at least I don't have to do no Windows.

Textedit

New: Eot!
I now say I refuse to use Textedit.

Other Languages

New: OL!
I now say I only use Perl anyway.

An Other Unix

New: uo++$
I now say An Other Unix is my main OS and my favorite. I get paid for it.

C++

Old: OLCC+>++
I no longer say I use C++ every now and then, it's OK but Perl still rules. And I've stopped wishing I could say I use C++ quite often and I like it as much as I like Perl