Comment Quote by Larry Wall
![“[Perl] gives you the STDERR filehandle so that your program can make snide comments off to the side while it transforms (or attempts to transform) your input into your output.” quote by Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e43/larry-wall-1576_comment_perl-gives-you-the-stderr-filehandle-so_1697563.jpg)
“[Perl] gives you the STDERR filehandle so that your program can make snide comments off to the side while it transforms (or attempts to transform) your input into your output.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Perl Origins, Larry Wall, 1990
Perl provides a dedicated error stream, allowing programmers to separate diagnostic messages from main output, facilitating debugging and modular code.
In simple terms: Use STDERR for side comments and errors.
Key Takeaway
Separate errors from main output.
Themes
programming
debugging
error handling
software design
Mood
technical
practical
Type
educational
informative
When to use this quote
- writing scripts
- handling exceptions
- logging
- testing
Key Concepts
error streams
separation of concerns
developer ergonomics
Questions to Reflect On
- When should you redirect STDERR?
- How does this affect user experience?
A Different Perspective
Overusing STDERR can clutter logs and obscure important messages.
![“[Perl] combines all the worst aspects of C and Lisp: a billion different sublanguages in one monolithic executable. It combines the power of C with the readability of PostScript.” quote by Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/529/jamie-zawinski-16110_aspect_perl-combines-all-the-worst-aspects-of-c_2610418.jpg)
