Catalyst

adventures in webdev with perl

Self Asked Questions

Since nobody bothered (yet) to ask any questions, I took it upon myself to ask and at the same time answer some (and I can tell you now that it's very weird to ask yourself question, even if you don't talk aloud):

Background Information

  • Q: Who are you?

  • A: A 29 year old programmer.

  • Q: What experience do you have in programming?

  • A: Well, I've been doing this for almost 20 years (yes, indeed, I started when I was 10), and for the last 8 years I've managed to earn a (decent) living with it. I've built mainly webapps for business automation, apart from a brief stint into Linux kernel and network stack programming. I can do Perl and C, pretty good (at least that's what they told me). I can also find my way around (in no particular order): Ruby, Python, Java, C++, Assembler (the DOS variety) and Pascal (although the last two are mighty rusty). I am also able to not get a seizure while looking at Lisp, Prolog and Haskell (i.e. can't write proper programs but perhaps I might be able to read some).

  • Q: Enough about the damn languages, what OS do you use?

  • A: Well, the first computers I used, didn't have a proper OS, they just came with a BASIC interpreter, and software was distributed on casette tapes and sometimes even by means of radio and television (I'm not kidding). But enough about that, I had my share of DOS (from 3.33 up to last one of them to stand alone, 6.22), Windows (95, 95OSR2, 98, 98SE, XP), Linux (RedHat, SuSE, Slackware and Debian) and BSD (FreeBSD and OpenBSD). In this day and age I use mostly FreeBSD and WinXP.

Frameworks & Programming Languages

  • Q: Why Catalyst?

  • A: It's the most interesting piece of Perl software I've encountered recently, and as I'm a programmer it promises to be a useful tool for the webapps I'd like to write and those I have to write. The people involved in it are also a lovely bunch, pretty helpful and friendly, I like them a lot (they remind me of the people from Cheers and I'm not sure why. Perhaps cause they know my name?). And finally why not?

  • Q: But what about Ruby on Rails? Isn't that the hottest thing on the block?

  • A: For starters, I'm a Perl programmer. I like Perl. Grew up with it, so I guess that explains this perverted taste of mine. I took a look at RoR, was quite exhilarated by the "jumpstart a webapp in 15 min" thing, I even started to use it in a project. And then I grew tired of it. So it goes. In the end, I think it's Perl that makes or breaks my interest in this kind of stuff. Or the Perl way (yea, TMTOWTDI)

  • Q: You're writing about Perl software on a site powered by Python!

  • A: That's not a question... and yes, I wish there was a infogami-type of site running on Catalyst (I have had a similar kind of project plan lying around in a corner of my mind for some time). I've got nothing against Python or Ruby or RoR (apart from the overhype) or infogami or reddit. Nor do I want to brag about Catalyst or Perl. See also the next question.

  • Q: Which is better, Perl, Ruby or Python?

  • A: Whichever suits you. Here's my take on it:

    • Perl - good for hackers and/or people with a strong unix background. Love it or hate it, it's easy to do both. Still going strong, though the other two are ahead of Perl in terms of language features and syntax candy, but we're waiting for Perl6 to see if we can still kick serious ass. Until then there's enough perl magic to be done here and now (and if you don't believe me, take a look at these migration tools)
    • Ruby - these folks are a bit on the academic side (they like to mingle with the functional programming crowd) but they still got some of that unix hacker trait (although it's not that strong). One thing Ruby has and nobody else does is whytheluckystiff. That man is poetry in motion. His Ruby guide is feels like programming on LSD. I still don't know if that is good or bad.
    • Python - now, as i see it, these folks are far, far away from the Perl style of doing stuff. It's a nice language, efficient, impressive, but I can't find any warm feelings towards it, it's just no fun (apart from the Monty Python references). I use it every day (as a software upgrade tool on FreeBSD) and it does its job. Perhaps we will get to know each other better one day and discover it was just a huge misunderstanding (or VB conspiration).

  • Q: Java, you forgot Java! Isn't Java worth mentioning?

  • A: OK, since you insist, I'll mention it. I remember when I bought my first (and only) Java book: Just Java by Peter van der Linden (actually it was the first edition, must be a collector's item by now). Why? Because Java was hot! Oh, the follies of the youth. The good old days when the world was an oyster and I was ... whatever. Since then Java has become colder than a cup of coffee forgotten on the Ross Ice Shelf. Unless you're working at some big company with more policy documents than applications. Then you're excused. I know it's great and all, if you're coming from the general direction of assembler programming or if you manage to find some joy in the vast and mind numbing implementation swamp that is necessary to run the tinyest web application (Jakarta is also an Indonesian city with horrible traffic, how's that for an analogy?). You must know I love Java too, but only when it runs on the mobile phones of people I dislike and makes them whimper whenever they activate a midlet or whatever the hell they do there. Let's just stop here, OK?

last updated 2 years ago #