use Perl

My trusty Dell laptop is now three years old, which is ancient in dog years. The case has been growing cracks, and is starting to shed plastic parts. The hard drive has been getting steadily noisier. It's time to think about moving on. Having water spilled onto the Dell when it went through airport security last week may be the next-to-final straw.

I am not an early adopter when it comes to computing gear. I let the early adopters move first, and then wait for howls of pain or signs of blood. The early adopters have moved, and iBooks have been deemed (mostly) safe. Still, I'm torn. The voice in one ear says to stick with what's familiar, and mummbles about not having a stable working environment for weeks or months. The voice in the other ear says it's time for another learning curve, and murmers alluringly about the pleasures of having a portable *nix.