Rating: 
Summary: The best introduction to Perl
Review: Absolutely the best way to get started in Perl. Written in a conversational tone.
Rating: 
Summary: Well-paced learning tool. Recommended
Review: I came to Perl from Windows, C & Delphi and wanted a quick leg up the learning ladder. This book does just that, but with some caveats. I found it hard to get past the leaden and, to me, very un-funny foreword by Larry Wall. That apart, the book does the job as advertised. The 1st chapter (A Stroll Through Perl) is tough. It throws in a lot of code without explanation (e.g. use of =~ operator on p.11) and is very Unix-oriented. If you know C, you'll hack it, but this is heavy stuff for a non-programmer wishing to learn. Programming Perl (this book's big brother) is much tougher again. You would need to be an intermediate/advanced C & Unix hacker to go straight into Perl from there. However, if you come to use Perl regularly (and most Windows folk coming here will be using Perl for CGI stuff), you would be well advised to buy both. The remainder of the book consists of well-paced examples, culminating in a (for me) particularly useful primer on CGI. I have just completed my first fully home-grown large CGI script, and would never have got there without this book (and CGI.pm). So 4 stars for general content and concept, 1 star lost for dud humour and the whole "Stroll Through Perl" thing which I think increases, rather than flattens the learning curve. Don't be fooled by claims of Perl's natural or intuitive feel. It is only natural and intuitive for "Hello World" programmes. Beyond that, it is natural & intuitive only for those who have been practicing it for years. The rest of us use it like more forgiving version of C.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent intro into Perl
Review: This book is a MUST GET if you want to learn Perl. Already knowing JavaScript, this book after the first chapter was a great thing to skim. If you can totally understand the first chapter, you will have no problem finishing the rest of this book. But if you are a beginner, like the review before me has claimed, SKIP CHAPTER 1. I have no idea why the auther would put that there, of all places. Chapter 2 - 5 start nice and slow and are excellent for the beginner. Once you understand Chapters 2 - 5, chapter 1 will have you in awe of the capabilities of Perl. Bottom line: if you want to have a comprehensive guide to help you learn Perl, this book is IT. Don't hesitate to get it. Mike C.
Rating:
Summary: a good book
Review: This is a really good book, IF you have previous programming experience and previous unix experience. Novices at both will have a hard time with the introduction chapter... after that you should be okay.
Rating:
Summary: 18 of 19 Chapters Great
Review: Most of the book flows: smooth, logical, heuristic. A very good introduction to what can be a confusing language. Best book I've seen for a programmer to use to pick up a new language. You will want the companion camel book, Programming Perl, for reference; but don't try to learn Perl from the camel book unless you are a masochist. Two free bits of advice. Skip the first chapter. If you want to learn Perl, you know why. There is enough stuff in the first chapter to stifle the impulse if you read it carefully. Second, practice your skimming skills on the second chapter. Then go back and re-read it carefully when you're fresh. It's long and important, but when you've got past this chapter, you'll roll the rest of the way through the book.
Rating:
Summary: The Gateway to a Free World?
Review: For years I'd kept my head down hacking away in awk and sed, lazily hoping I would never have to learn anything else. I'd heard of Perl, even seen a couple of early texts, but it all looked far too hideous. One dark morning, however, a monstrous awk program I'd given birth to turned its thousand line claws piteously upon my fragile inner ego; 'Learn Perl' it mocked, 'rise above your pathetic cowardice!' So under its command I shuffled nervously into a quiet lunchtime bookshop, slid up to the computer section, and whipped a shiny Llama from the top shelf. And Lo, since that fateful day, not only have I been able to shed the cumbersome Bourne-shell snakeskin of sed and awk, but a thread of hope has revealed itself unto me; all due to Randal L. Schwartz's miniature masterpiece. Written in a punchy style of clarity that is both informative and humorous, if you want to break into the brave new world of CGI-Perl, Perl/Tk and the 101 other derivatives which will sweep the 21st century clean of the proprietary vultures, then this is where you will begin. God bless Larry Wall.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent read!
Review: I'm not much of a programmer, but I've read a few books on C/C++ and they tend to be quite dry. This book was anything but dry. While it's true that it's not the latest Dean Koontz novel, Mr. Schwartz makes learning Perl fun and very easy! If you have _any_ experience with programming or shell scripting you won't even have to think twice about the workings of Perl, and if you have no experience whatsoever, this is a great place to start! The more I read this book, the more I understand C...go figure. Anyone considering learning to program should definitely think about starting with Perl and this book. Perl is powerful and can be as complex as C++ or as simple as shell-scripting, and due to the fact that it's free you can pass your programs on to your friends and not worry about buying software to recompile it for their platform. Definitely a great book and useable as a reference...for awhile at least.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent intro to Perl!!
Review: I used to think that Perl is meant for the "elite ones" only and stick to the notion of "write-only" language. However, this book changed my mind completely. It makes Perl very much more approachable, and even makes learning Perl fun and enjoyable. Go for it!
Rating:
Summary: This book defines Beginner's Guide
Review: This book is the ultimate Beginner's Guide to Perl. It gives you everything you need to get started and excludes everything else that could get you confused. I took off 1 star as well because I agree that it is not a good reference.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent for a person who knows nothing about Perl
Review: I am a college student and know C and uses Unix. I have tried to teach myself Perl using Perl for Dummies but the Llama book is much better. I was able to teach myself Perl over the weekend because this book is so clear and precise. I am now moving on to Programming Perl, Advanced Perl Programming, and the Perl Cookbook and only started on Friday and today is Monday. Excellent book.
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