September 2008
Beginner to intermediate
426 pages
10h 42m
English
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Chapter 17. Other Programming Languages: Perl, Python, Ruby, and Java
This chapter covers some of the programming languages supported in Mac OS X: namely Perl, Python, Ruby, and Java.
As far as Perl and Python are concerned, Mac OS X is just another Unix. But Mac OS X versions of these packages have some niceties and some quirks that make things a little different from the developer’s perspective. In particular, many of Mac OS X’s non-Unix APIs, such as Carbon and Cocoa, are accessible through extension modules in both languages.
Warning
We suggest limiting your customization of the versions of Perl and Python that come with Mac OS X, since they are both fair game for modification during an upgrade or patch. You might unintentionally modify something that the system depends on, or end up with a partially broken installation the next time Software Update performs a big Mac OS X update.
It’s fine to install whatever modules you want, but if you choose to install customized or newer versions of either Perl or Python, install them in /usr/local so they don’t interfere with the ones in /usr. Check the documentation (INSTALL or README files) that came along with the source code for any information specific to Mac OS X, and for instructions for specifying an alternate installation prefix.
Java has been a part of Mac OS X from its very early days, but Ruby is a more recent addition, first bundled with Mac OS X 10.2 (Jaguar). Rails, the increasingly popular web application framework written in ...
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O’Reilly covers everything we've got, with content to help us build a world-class technology community, upgrade the capabilities and competencies of our teams, and improve overall team performance as well as their engagement.Julian F.
I wanted to learn C and C++, but it didn't click for me until I picked up an O'Reilly book. When I went on the O’Reilly platform, I was astonished to find all the books there, plus live events and sandboxes so you could play around with the technology.Addison B.
I’ve been on the O’Reilly platform for more than eight years. I use a couple of learning platforms, but I'm on O'Reilly more than anybody else. When you're there, you start learning. I'm never disappointed.Amir M.
I'm always learning. So when I got on to O'Reilly, I was like a kid in a candy store. There are playlists. There are answers. There's on-demand training. It's worth its weight in gold, in terms of what it allows me to do.