Using the words PERL and productive without a not qualifier in the same sentence opens up some sort of alternate universe time warp that is so dangerous it should be avoided at all costs.

If you don't think Perl is a productive language, then you have never been a UNIX system administrator.

If you do think Perl is a productive language then you (a) are a unix system administrator and/or (b) have never used a truly productive language.

I have never been a system administrator, but I still find perl productive.

The irony of that statement is creating a vortex of it's own. ;-)

Irony...like rain on your wedding day? Or maybe a traffic jam when you're already late?

I'm not sure you and I are working with the same definition of irony here. You don't like Perl, that we understand. But if you can honestly say you believe that Perl is not among the most productive, if not the most productive, glue languages for use in UNIX system administration tasks...then, well, I don't know what to say. One can't really have a rational discussion with someone who is that far off the map.