It is easier to port a shell than a shell script.

The potential of greater good goes right along with the potential for greater evil.

Many computer scientists have fallen into the trap of trying to define languages like George Orwell's Newspeak, in which it is impossible to think bad thoughts. What they end up doing is killing the creativity of programming.

The only reason [not to use] perl is that some sysadmins don't allow software that they didn't pay for. By all means, let them send me money if it makes them feel better.

Perl doesn't have an infatuation with enforced privacy. It would prefer that you stayed out of its living room because you weren't invited, not because it has a shotgun

I think operating systems work best if they're free and open. Particular applications are more likely to be proprietary.

Well, you can implement a Perl peek() with unpack('P',...). Once you have that, there's only security through obscurity.