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About this quote

What does it mean?
The author mentions improving awk’s capabilities for a particular purpose.
In plain terms
I had to enhance awk for a specific task.
What can you take from it?
Extend tools when they lack needed features.

Where it applies

  • text processing
  • quick scripting

Putting it to work

  • write small extensions
  • contribute back to the community

Questions to consider

  • When should you extend a tool vs. switch tools?
  • How to keep extensions maintainable?

Another view

Custom extensions can reduce portability.

More from Larry Wall

  1. Besides, it's good to force C programmers to use the toolbox occasionally. :-)

    Permalink to quote #30
  2. If I allowed 'next $label' then I'd also have to allow 'goto $label', and I don't think you really want that... :-)

    Permalink to quote #32
  3. Besides, including <std_ice_cubes.h> is a fatal error on machines that don't have it yet. Bad language design, there... :-)

    Permalink to quote #29

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