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Billpoint – Company Overview

Explore the benefits of using Perl for application engineering in terms of stability and speed. This presentation by Jason May, Co-founder and CTO of Billpoint, discusses the 100% Perl application platform powering person-to-person payment services. The advantages of Perl in CGI scripting, text processing, and reliable transaction processing are highlighted. Learn about the challenges Perl faces compared to other technologies, its performance metrics, and the potential for growth within the community. Discover why Perl remains a valuable tool for complex business applications.

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Billpoint – Company Overview

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  1. Application Engineering with Perl:Stability and SpeedJuly 25, 2001Jason May – Co-founder and CTO, Billpoint

  2. Billpoint – Company Overview • Founded September 1998 • Acquired by eBay in May 1999 • Minority owned by Wells Fargo • Provides person-to-person payment services to eBay sellers • Financial transaction processing • http://www.billpoint.com/

  3. Billpoint Technology Platform • Application 100% Perl • CPAN modules: DBI (Oracle), XML:Simple, Crypt, Digest::SHA1, Text:Merge, others • Other open source software: Apache, CVS • Commercial software: Tibco Rendezvous

  4. Common Wisdom Perl is good for… • CGI scripting • Text processing, data munging • System administration • Utilities

  5. Unrecognized Virtues Perl is also great for business applications • Complex functionality requirements • (elaborate UI, many business rules) • Reliable, 24x7, stable • Transaction-processing • High-volume • Rapidly-changing, fuzzy requirements

  6. Are you crazy? • “It’s slower than Java or C++” • “Doesn’t scale” • “No tools” • “Can’t find anyone who knows it”

  7. Perl is stable • Well-tested and reliable code base • GC memory management • Rapid access to support if needed

  8. Perl is plenty fast • Performance for most IT and web applications is driven by database and user-interface factors • Language differences between Perl and {Java, C++, etc.} are minimal

  9. Perl accelerates delivery • No compile cycle • Loose typing • Loose coupling • CPAN

  10. Real Challenges • Perl vs. “architecture frameworks”: • Java/JSP/EJB/Weblogic/JDBC • C++/STL/Tuxedo/e-SQL • ASP/Microsoft • Lack of robust Open Source middleware • Emerging: Mico, xmlBlaster, Open3, others

  11. Real Challenges • Cowboy culture • Perl provides plenty of rope to hang yourself with • Sophisticated development processes are unfamiliar to most Perl programmers • Finding Staff • Perl not seen as a critical skill for desirable tech positions

  12. Real Challenges • Perl community is poor at self-promotion • Compare vs. the Microsoft and Java camps • Growth of Linux mindshare != penetration of Perl or other Open Source • Convince vendors to provide & support Perl interfaces to their products • Public success stories

  13. Final Thoughts • What would it take to ‘mainstream’ Perl? • What role could the Perl community play? • Is Perl doomed to remain a niche platform? • Why encourage others to learn Perl?

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