Linux Format forums

Re: What to learn : Perl or Python

ScannerDarkly — Mon Sep 19, 2011 2:50 am

Author: ScannerDarkly

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2011 2:50 am

The best I advise I can give you is not to learn a language, but learn how to program. A good language is a start to learning that, and a good language for that is Python: clean syntax, easy to learn, easy to see and to concentrate on the problems you'll be learning and solving in Python rather than stumbling over symbols for different types of variables in Perl...

Did I mention Perl is slowly dying? Learn how to program, via Python, and then learn an array of languages with different paradigms: Python, C, Scala, Haskell, Bash, Ada, Go etc.

Re: What to learn : Perl or Python

jarubyh — Sat Sep 03, 2011 2:32 am

Author: jarubyh

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 2:32 am

I would say it's apples to oranges and both have their pro's and con's and you should follow your dreams and go where your heart bids you, but I'll take a stand.

Perl.

Perl has a more developed collection of libraries, and is can be used effectively for everything from Web programming to system administration tasks to hunting through billions of text files with its highly advanced Regular Expression system. That being said, Perl is a mess. Python is much more intuitive, easier to use, and doesn't have any unstable semi-vaporware updates looming over its community. (OBJECTION!)
Personally, I use Perl for everything I don't use C++ for, so it feels like home to me. I'd recommend it as the scripting language to anybody.

Re: What to learn : Perl or Python

evilnick — Tue Jul 19, 2011 4:57 pm

Author: evilnick

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 4:57 pm

I think there is a lot to be said in favour of many languages. Personally, the first language I learnt properly was Z80 assembly. Not very useful these days I grant you, but there was a certain discipline to assembly coding that I think has helped me a lot.

The language I wish I started with was C/C++. It might be a bit harder to grasp initially, especially tricky things with pointers and such, but really manages to bring together all of the central ideas about programming into one relatively clean and efficient language. The big problem is that it is difficult to learn by example, because if you look at real, working C code it can appear to be so much gibberish, even when you have an idea what is going on.

I think modern Perl and Python both solve this problem very well - Python is really easy to read as well as write, and does have a lot of commercial potential too.

There aren't any languages I wish I had never learned, but Algol and COBOL weren't really much use to me (thanks University of Surrey for making me learn them). I do have a sneaky kind of affection for FORTRAN, but I think that is mainly nostalgic.

Nobody seems to have mentioned Java either. While it may not be as fashionable as it was, it is still a powerful and useful language, if.you.dont.mind.a.lot.of.typing

Re: What to learn : Perl or Python

lok1950 — Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:34 pm

Author: lok1950

Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:34 pm

Lisp comes in handy if you use EMACS as then you can add extensions to it further blotting it's ego

Enjoy the Choice

Re: What to learn : Perl or Python

Bazza — Mon Jul 11, 2011 2:32 pm

Author: Bazza

Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 2:32 pm

Which brings us to another POV for the OP...

Which languages should (S)he avoid then?

Lisp?

Re: What to learn : Perl or Python

Ram — Mon Jul 11, 2011 12:55 pm

Author: Ram

Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 12:55 pm

lok1950 wrote:

Quote:

Hmm, I wonder where my Pascal book is.

In the recycling bin I hope Though I still have a few Pascal books in boxes that I haven't looked at in ages with my old college texts for IBM 360 Assembly.And leke you may not learn everything but there is no harm in trying too

Enjoy the Choice

Mine are still on the top shelf aswell hiding in some cupboards.

Re: What to learn : Perl or Python

lok1950 — Sun Jul 10, 2011 11:21 pm

Author: lok1950

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 11:21 pm

Quote:

Hmm, I wonder where my Pascal book is.

Re: What to learn : Perl or Python

RockDoctor — Sun Jul 10, 2011 10:39 pm

Author: RockDoctor

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 10:39 pm

Although I'm sure that by now the OP has selected her language of choice, I thought I'd post my thoughts here because the question is certainly a FAQ. For hobby coding, my advice is to just pick a language that looks interesting and go for it. Looking over at my bookcase, I see (in order left to right, top shelf to bottom shelf) books covering: HTML, Java, Perl, XML, JavaScript, Python, PHP, PL/1 (my old college text), 6502 assembly, 8086 assembly, Forth, SQL, C, and C++. Hmm, I wonder where my Pascal book is.

php forever

mokakan — Sun Apr 03, 2011 7:48 pm

Author: mokakan

Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2011 7:48 pm

neither perl nor python, i think php is the best

Ruby!

gwilymk — Wed Nov 10, 2010 6:11 pm

Author: gwilymk

Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 6:11 pm

I personally get annoyed with how verbose python is so I tried ruby!

Although it is not perl or python, it is a scripting language and you get the amazing 'gem' command. Ruby's built in package manager.

And if your bored of writing applications, you can try 'rails'

Code:

sudo gem install rails
or
su -c 'gem install rails'

doesn't get easier

Gwilym Kuiper[/quote]

Re: What to learn : Perl or Python

leke — Wed Nov 03, 2010 6:01 pm

Author: leke

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2010 6:01 pm

Bazza wrote:

Hi leke...

When you reach bus pass age and beyond, it gets slightly more difficult
to learn everything... ;o)

Everything seems to start going wrong, sight, hearing, etc...

I hope by the time I'm older, science will have cured all of those things

Re: What to learn : Perl or Python

Bazza — Wed Nov 03, 2010 3:36 pm

Author: Bazza

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2010 3:36 pm

Hi leke...

When you reach bus pass age and beyond, it gets slightly more difficult
to learn everything... ;o)

Everything seems to start going wrong, sight, hearing, etc...

Re: What to learn : Perl or Python

leke — Mon Nov 01, 2010 7:30 am

Author: leke

Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 7:30 am

bobthebob1234 wrote:

learn everything!!

yeah, I second that. If you're saying it's for fun, you should play with both languages (and more). We would all be interested to hear your opinions of them too

Re: What to learn : Perl or Python

johnhudson — Sun Oct 31, 2010 9:18 pm

Author: johnhudson

Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2010 9:18 pm

Python is fine for a hobbyist and for a professional developer; you can start with something very simple and add modules as you become more confident.

Python is also used in a lot of Google interfaces because of its flexibility.

Re: What to learn : Perl or Python

bobthebob1234 — Sun Oct 31, 2010 6:46 pm

Author: bobthebob1234

Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2010 6:46 pm

learn everything!!