A. Background of Perl
In this appendix, we introduce a brief historical, sociological and
psychological reasons for why Perl works the way it does. We also
include a brief history of Perl.
When learning a new language, it is often helpful to learn the history,
motivations, and origins of that language. In natural languages such as
English, this helps us understand the culture and heritage of the
language. Such understanding leads to insight into the minds of those
who speak the language. This newly found insight, obtained through
learning culture and heritage, assists us in learning the new language.
This philosophy of language instruction can often be applied to
programming languages as well. Although programming languages grow from
a logical or mathematical basis, they are rarely purely mathematical.
Often, the people who design, implement and use the language influence
the language, based on their own backgrounds. Because of the influence
the community has upon programming languages, it is useful, before
learning a programming language, to understand its history, motivations,
and culture. To that end, this chapter examines the history, culture,
and heritage of the Perl language.
