Perl Industry

Production-Grade Artificial Intelligence

Machine learning is an increasingly important component of AI.
ML algorithms enable a computer to perform tasks autonomously without the need for explicit human instructions.
Many new commercial software projects include ML functionality.
Most major corporations already utilize ML algorithms.
Popular ML libraries include TensorFlow, scikit-learn, PyTorch, Keras, and pandas, all written for the Python programming language.
Nearly all greenfield projects are written using Python's ML libraries.
Perl must act quickly to catch up with Python by creating a full suite of production-ready Python-ML-compatible drop-in replacement libraries.
All new ML libraries must be written in pure Perl and compiled using the RPerl compiler for parallelization and performance optimization.
The goal is to use new ML libraries to create new Perl jobs.

Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

STEM careers are among the most critical to global human progress.
Perl is already well-loved by biologists due to the BioPerl software suite.
Unfortunately, the most computationally-intensive components of BioPerl are primarily written in C or C++, including BLAST, FASTA, Genscan, EMBOSS, Clustalw, and T-Coffee.
Besides BioPerl, there are no other popular science suites for Perl.
Due to runtime performance restrictions of dynamic languages, many STEM libraries are still written in C or C++.
Perl must position itself at the forefront of scientific advancement via the development of new software suites for all known STEM fields, including: logic, numeric mathematics, symbolic algebra and calculus, linear algebra, statistics, physics, chemistry, biology, geology, astronomy, computer science, social science, medicine, genetics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, etc.
All new STEM libraries must be written in pure Perl and compiled using the RPerl compiler for parallelization and performance optimization.
The goal is to use new STEM libraries to create new Perl jobs.

Creating & Building Perl Careers

There is a very real need for Perl mentors to help Perl mentees begin & develop their computer programming careers.
Likewise, new Perl community members must be open to receiving free advice & support.
Perl Monger groups must cultivate an environment conducive to interpersonal exchange & work to identify mentor / mentee pairings.
The general strategy is for mentors to guide & assist mentees in crafting their own personalized Perl career maps.
The goal is to advance junior & mid-level developers toward becoming senior & expert developers.

Seeing Is Believing

Live demos are a time-honored hallmark of software engineering.
In-person computer demonstrations provide the opportunity for gathering face-to-face feedback from both customers and stakeholders alike.
As with all presentations, demos should be clear, concise, and customized for the intended audience.
All Perl Mongers groups must engage in an ongoing effort to make contact with industry decision makers, build relationships and curry good favor, schedule live demos at times and locations convenient to audience members, and give impressive professional presentations of pertinent Perl software.
After each demo, Perl Mongers must continue with engaging follow-up conversations and activities aimed at the creation of new Perl projects.
The goal is to use new Perl projects to create new Perl jobs.

Connecting Employers & Employees

Perhaps the biggest challenge facing the Perl community is the increasing lack of viable Perl jobs for professional developers.
The problem goes both ways, with companies routinely porting projects from Perl to Python due to a lack of Perl job applicants.
Three valuable but under-utilized resources already exist to address this issue: Jobs.Perl.org, Perl Careers, and Perl Jobs on Facebook.
All Perl Monger groups must actively seek out both companies in need of Perl developers, as well as developers in need of Perl jobs.
This is achieved by personal referrals when appropriate, and the organization of semi-annual Perl job fairs.
The goal is to match quality candidates with promising Perl careers.

A Gift To Humanity

Perl is already in use by most major corporations, usually in the form of so-called "legacy code".
Most people incorrectly classify legacy code as bad or outdated.
A critical distinction must be made between outdated vs mature code.
While it is true that old code can become outdated as new technologies are released, there are many pieces of software which have continued to mature year after year.
As explained by Dr. Thomas Radcliffe in his 2016 Perl Conference talk The Perl Paradox, any software which achieves "legacy language" status can never be permanently replaced.
Perl is one of only three computer languages which has crossed the chasm to become permanently irreplaceable.
Perl is our lasting legacy, a truly invaluable gift to our posterity.
The goal is use our legacy language status to promote long-term Perl career growth.