# easy + eclectic programing language - why no?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-eclectic-programing-language-why-no/19321>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 12, 2000, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-eclectic-programing-language-why-no/19321 "2000-05-12T05:40:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![JoeyBlades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@JoeyBlades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeyBlades)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2000, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-eclectic-programing-language-why-no/19321/41 "2000-05-18T13:12:50Z")

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Avumede wrote:

> [@](#):
>
> Actually, Microsoft is working on what they call “Intentional Programming”.

If Microsoft is developing it, you can bet it will be:

(1) Late  
(2) Incredibly fat and cumbersome  
(3) Will have a virus creation mode built right in

I can just imagine the interface:

“Welcome to Microsoft IP. Please select the type of program you wish to deveolp from the following list. Boring application. Boring utility. Semi entertaining 3Dfx game. Exciting, unstoppable virus.”

jally pondered:

> [@](#):
>
> I wonder if there’s a good online tutorial for Perl.

Gobs!!! A lot of bad ones, too! Whatever you do, don’t buy the book “Perl for Dummies” - it seems to have been written with the intent of keeping you that way.

If you’re looking for good perl books, check this link first, they have very good advice:

[http://www.perl.com/pub/language/critiques/](http://www.perl.com/pub/language/critiques/)  
One of the most useful online perl reference libraries is:

[http://www.perl.com/pub](http://www.perl.com/pub)

Explore the links, there’s a wealth of information here.

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**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2000, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-eclectic-programing-language-why-no/19321/42 "2000-05-18T13:21:57Z")

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Also, look at the [Web Developer’s Virtual Library](http://www.wdvl.com/Authoring/Languages/Perl/) for a whole set of Perl tutorials.

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**Author:** ![Avumede](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/avumede/32/7235_2.png) [@Avumede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avumede)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2000, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-eclectic-programing-language-why-no/19321/43 "2000-05-18T16:49:49Z")

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A web page with articles on Microsoft’s Intentional Programming:

> **[Microsoft Research – Emerging Technology, Computer, and Software Research](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/?from=http%3A%2F%2Fresearch.microsoft.com%2Fscripts%2Fpubs%2Fview.asp%3Ftr_id%3Dmsr-tr-95-52)**
>
> Explore research at Microsoft, a site featuring the impact of research along with publications, products, downloads, and research careers.

Do not doubt Microsoft’s potential in this area. They’ve invested huge amounts of R&D money in their research efforts, and have lured big name professors from across the country to their campus (not just for this, but for all their R&D). Whether it amounts to anything or not, who can say, but they have a good chance of being the people to change programming as we know it.

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**Author:** ![jally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/90ced4/32.png) [@jally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jally)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2000, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-eclectic-programing-language-why-no/19321/44 "2000-05-19T03:49:00Z")

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Joey & AWB, thanks loads for the links.

Avumede, thanks for the new twist to this thread. For sure MS is twisted & warped! (puns intended)

Bye now

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