"Learning Perl Objects, References, and Modules" Released by O'Reilly

For Immediate Release
For more information, a review copy, cover art, or an interview with
the authors, contact:
Kathryn Barrett (707) 827-7094 or kathrynb@oreilly.com

Ready to Learn More Perl? New Book Picks Up Where Llama Leaves Off
O'Reilly Releases "Learning Perl Objects, References, and Modules"

Sebastopol, CA--O'Reilly's "Learning Perl," affectionately referred to
as the "Llama book," is the classic introduction to programming in
Perl. Its pages have instructed many a novice in the use of Perl for
short and medium programs--which, traditionally, is much of the
programming done in Perl. Yet, once having mastered the material in
"Learning Perl," there have been a few bold programmers who have
proceeded to ask, "Where do we go from here?" Perhaps they want to write
programs longer than one hundred lines. Or perhaps they're interested
in working with larger and more complex data structures. Sadly, there
hasn't been a clear answer to their question, until now. "Learning Perl
Objects, References, and Modules," (O'Reilly US $34.95) by Randall
Schwartz with Tom Phoenix--the authors of "Learning Perl"--picks up
where the first book leaves off.

"If you liked 'Learning Perl,' and wanted more, this book is for you,"
says Schwartz. "It'll show you how to write bigger, better, and more
robust programs with ease and confidence."

"Learning Perl Objects, References, and Modules" offers a gentle
introduction to the world of references, object-oriented programming,
and the use of Perl modules that form the backbone of any effective
Perl program. Following the successful format of its predecessor, each
chapter in the book is designed to be small enough to be read in just
an hour or two. Each chapter ends with a series of exercises to help
readers practice what they've learned with answers in an appendix for
easy reference.

"Our 'Learning Perl' book was good because it introduced the use of
Perl for smaller programs," explains Schwartz. "But to avoid having the
'Llama book' be as big and intimidating as the 'Camel book' (O'Reilly's
'Programming Perl'), we left out a lot of information, deliberately and
carefully. In 'Learning Perl Objects, References, and Modules' you get
the rest of the story in the same style as our friendly 'Llama book.'"

Assuming a basic understanding of Perl, this book explains how to
effectively use both standard and object-oriented Perl modules, how to
use namespaces and packages properly, and how to use references to
build powerful data structures. In short, it covers everything that
separates the Perl dabbler from the Perl programmer. The topics
include:

-Packages and namespaces
-References and scoping
-Manipulating complex data structures
-Object-oriented programming
-Writing and using modules
-Contributing to CPAN

Perl is a different language to different people. It is a quick,
scripting tool for some and a fully featured object-oriented language
for others. It is used for everything from performing quick global
replacements on text files to crunching huge, complex sets of
scientific data that take weeks to process. Perl is what you make of
it, but regardless of what you use Perl for, "Learning Perl Objects,
References, and Modules" will help you do it more effectively,
efficiently, and elegantly.

Praise for "Learning Perl Objects, References, and Modules":

"What a spectacular Perl book it is...O'Reilly, Schwartz, and Phoenix
have put together a wonderful book. It's very personable and easy to
follow. More importantly, it has the feel of a master instructing the
apprentice."
--Russell J.T. Dyer, UnixReview.com, June 2003

Additional Resources:

"Learning Perl Objects, References, and Modules" is also available on
the O'Reilly Network Safari Bookshelf, see: http://safari.oreilly.com/

Chapter 3, "Introduction to References," is available free online at:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/lrnperlorm/chapter/index.html

For more information about the book, including Table of Contents,
index, author bios, and samples, see:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/lrnperlorm/

For a cover graphic in JPEG format, go to:
ftp://ftp.ora.com/pub/graphics/book_covers/hi-res/0596004788.jpg

Learning Perl Objects, References, and Modules
Randal L. Schwartz with Tom Phoenix
ISBN 0-596-00478-8, 205 pages, $34.95 US, $54.95 CA, 24.95 UK
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938
1-707-827-7000
http://www.oreilly.com

About O'Reilly
O'Reilly & Associates is the premier information source for
leading-edge computer technologies. The company's books, conferences,
and web sites bring to light the knowledge of technology innovators.
O'Reilly books, known for the animals on their covers, occupy a
treasured place on the shelves of the developers building the next
generation of software. O'Reilly conferences and summits bring alpha
geeks and forward-thinking business leaders together to shape the
revolutionary ideas that spark new industries. From the Internet to
XML, open source, .NET, Java, and web services, O'Reilly puts
technologies on the map. For more information: http://www.oreilly.com

# # #

O'Reilly is a registered trademark of O'Reilly & Associates, Inc. All
other trademarks are property of their respective owners.