Using Perl with CGI to create interactive and dynamic web pages is the fun part of all this. But you can't cruise the interstate after your first driver's ed lesson and, similarly, we've only seen a glimmer of the fun Perl can offer on the web. The stage has been set, though, and next time we can put this Perl into drive, from validating form submissions to processing database requests to shopping cart applications. Despite the perilous pace of technology, there are still some tasks better done with old fashioned printed books. Learning Perl is one of them.
Books are convenient to reference, are well bound, and easy to carry from bedroom to, er, bathroom.
Allow me to dissent. Out on the limb this far, one would go even further to say that the Dummies book presents a much clearer organization of Perl information and explains the essential concepts with far more clarity, and far less ego, than the exalted Llama. Their writings provide great insight into the workings of Perl and into its advanced usage, and are highly recommended for those at such a level of interest. And it should be noted that there are no invested ties to either of these opinions. Although it contains little instruction or narrative, this book is an excellent reference resource summarizing all aspects of the Perl language, from operators to functions to the many popular modules.