[DCPM] Pro Perl review

[Steve Marvell]

Rock!

Steve
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Perl Now
Peter Wainwright
Apress, 2005
1-59059-438-X

This is a thick book, and the reason for this, is that it's jam packed
full of information. This is information is complete, current,
relevant and useful. This really is the best general Perl book I've
come across.

This book can be used by Perl programmers of many levels. It's not too
useful for the beginner or novice, but if you're the sort of
programmer which has written a good few scripts, maybe some quite long
ones, can update others code easily and occasionally has an expert look
over your shoulder and you understand his advice, then this is the
book for you. Not only intermediate programmers will benefit, even
after my ten years (on and off) Perl experience, there was still
things for me to learn. I's perfectly pitched for intermediate to
advanced, not novice or expert.

It's very difficult for a Perl book to start without the ubiquitous
'Download and Install' section, and here we have one. I must admit, I
did skip this chapter, but it was pretty much the only one.

You might think the 'Basic Concepts' section is just another syntax
explanation, but it's not. It is, in fact, a very good example of the
quality of the book. Here you find that amongst things you thought you
knew, there is a wealth of information and it's when you find these
gems, because you didn't skip the sections, that you realise there is
a lot to learn still and that this book is going to to take ages to
read, but you'll want to read it, oh yes.

You'll want to read it because it's written very well. It has words as
well as examples. The patter is medium paced and not at all
patronising. There are tips, caveats and 'this is useful'. The
examples are small when they need to be small and verbose when then
need to be big, but they are not full of padding. There is no showing
off things he's written and no flashy or inappropriate technique, just
illustrative, well chosen examples.

There are 10 chapters on the Perl language, 6 chapters on practical
Perl usage, such as IO, errors, debugging and profiling followed by 6
big chapters on Text Processing, OOP, Extending & Embedding, Signals
Processes & Threads, Networking and Localisation, all of which are
fantastic. 

This is very definitely a Perl language book, rather than an
application book. You're not going to know how to talk to databases,
build web applications or shake, rattle and roll a whole bunch of DNA
data. It's not a techniques book. It doesn't tell you to use strict at
every turn, it doesn't tell not to use do...while loops, it doesn't
need to.

After reading this book, you will be in possession of the tools and
techniques to use the Perl language very very effectively and have a
great quality reference manual to hand. It's the perfect stepping
stone into advanced programming and some of the more complex
applications books.

-- 

Steve Marvell is the Proprietor of an IT Solutions Provider based in
the South West of England and runs the Devon and Cornwall Perl
Mongers. 

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but may not be edited without the author's permission.