Do I need Linux platform to install Perl?

Question

I wish to learn Perl Scripting Language. Do I need Linux platform for it to install or Will I be able to run Perl on Windows? Please respond.

Answer 1

It depends upon your host, but typically support for Perl is only included with a linux server.

Answer 2

You can install Perl on a PC, but actions done by Perl on files are more related to Linux. So you can better use Linux.

Maybe you install a virtual Linux machine (e.g. Fedora version 9 go to http://www.thoughtpolice.co.uk/vmware/ ), using VMware, on your PC.

Then you can play with it and ruin everything without any damage.

Perl is already installed.

When things go wrong you just copy the initial version back (takes a few minutes).

Answer 3

Two good Windows distributions of Perl are ActivePerl and Strawberry Perl.



The main difference is that if you install modules with ActivePerl you are mostly stuck with precompiled binarys from ActiveState. Strawberry Perl includes the mingw C compiler and you install modules with the "cpan" command much like on Linux.



For the most part it makes no difference, but occasionally it does make ActivePerl easier, or Strawberry Perl more flexible.