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About this quote

What does it mean?
The quote sarcastically claims that language design is as easy as a stroll in Jurassic Park, implying it’s dangerous and complex.
In plain terms
Language design is like a dangerous walk in Jurassic Park.
What can you take from it?
Treat language design as a risky, complex endeavor.

Where it applies

  • creating new DSLs
  • language evolution

Putting it to work

  • prototype early
  • test extensively

Questions to consider

  • What are the biggest risks in language design?
  • How can you mitigate them?

Another view

Not all language design is perilous; some are straightforward.

More from Larry Wall

  1. Well, enough clowning around. Perl is, in intent, a cleaned up and summarized version of that wonderful semi-natural language known as 'Unix'.

    Permalink to quote #60
  2. Lisp has all the visual appeal of oatmeal with fingernail clippings mixed in.

    Permalink to quote #62
  3. Doing linear scans over an associative array is like trying to club someone to death with a loaded Uzi.

    Permalink to quote #59

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