Date: Tue, 06 Apr 2010 11:43:08 -0700 From: merlyn@stonehenge.com (Randal L. Schwartz) To: Chuck Swiger <cswiger@mac.com> Cc: FreeBSD - <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: perl qstn... Message-ID: <86d3yc2zib.fsf@red.stonehenge.com> In-Reply-To: <66F97B7C-9D27-452B-BCC8-30C960599AE0@mac.com> (Chuck Swiger's message of "Tue, 06 Apr 2010 11:36:12 -0700") References: <4BB8108A.9080104@FreeBSD.org> <1270371713.5861.98.camel@tao.thought.org> <86aatjnsts.fsf@red.stonehenge.com> <861vevnsow.fsf@red.stonehenge.com> <j2ya14066a01004040945z39191770k2f025752317fb14a@mail.gmail.com> <20100404163353.GA15198@guilt.hydra> <20100404201442.b456044e.freebsd@edvax.de> <o2oa14066a01004041148zd4ef8167q32b04d58daec8f9f@mail.gmail.com> <4BB9A5ED.3040309@infracaninophile.co.uk> <20100405173632.739a0c42@gumby.homeunix.com> <20100406015544.GA21119@guilt.hydra> <20100406132049.641b9edf@gumby.homeunix.com> <86wrwkiunp.fsf@red.stonehenge.com> <2EE33758-C39C-41DC-B6A8-B34CF6B3B25A@mac.com> <86k4sk1mle.fsf@red.stonehenge.com> <66F97B7C-9D27-452B-BCC8-30C960599AE0@mac.com>
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>>>>> "Chuck" == Chuck Swiger <cswiger@mac.com> writes:
>>
>> Then you wouldn't have used this construct.
Chuck> If the construct isn't a good idea considering the most obvious
Chuck> change one might make to the code,
Objection: presumes facts not in evidence, your honor.
Seriously, I've written thousands of lines that look like:
print "....." if $flag;
over the years (decades), and only *once* or *twice* do I ever recall
saying "oh, I actually wanted a two-way switch", and had to rewrite it.
So "most obvious" to you is clearly not what is actually most likely.
This undermines the rest of your argument, but let's read on...
Chuck> Surely Perl source code shouldn't be considered as write-once,
Chuck> modify-never?
Yes, and that's also presumes facts not in evidence. See above.
Chuck> I would suggest that good software not only allows the user the
Chuck> full freedom to do anything which is possible, it should also
Chuck> avoid asking the user about choices which are
Chuck> impossible/invalid/wrong/etc. This can be input field
Chuck> validation, middleware logic, this can be determining the present
Chuck> state and greying out options which are not currently applicable,
Chuck> etc.
I agree. The difference with Perl is that there are often many equally
good ways to choose. If that's too much repsonsibility for you, please
don't use Perl.
--
Randal L. Schwartz - Stonehenge Consulting Services, Inc. - +1 503 777 0095
<merlyn@stonehenge.com> <URL:http://www.stonehenge.com/merlyn/>;
Smalltalk/Perl/Unix consulting, Technical writing, Comedy, etc. etc.
See http://methodsandmessages.vox.com/ for Smalltalk and Seaside discussion
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