Why do you write your own program with your computer?

Long time ago when I started using personal computer (it used to be called as micro computer), we had to write program before we use it.
We used BASIC for its purpose.
The PC had the ROM version BASIC and there were many books about writing your own program not only for studying and playing, but also for business purpose.

Now, the many days passed by, you got many ready made softwares.
Some of them are big and some of them are small.
Some of them are expensive and some of them are free.
And you can find any functionality in the ready made softwares.

And some of the softwares (like Microsoft Office) has its customizable functionality so you can automate your favarite behaviour with it.

So, you might think you don't need to learn programming language unless you are professional programmer.

The opinion above might be right, but I still recommend you to learn computer language.

Why?

THE REASON ONE: BECAUSE IT'S HANDY

The ready made softwares are sometimes too expensive.
Or it's too huge.
In other words, it's not handy.

You might want to automate very small task like copying files, search-replace it etc.
For this purpose, Microsoft Office is too much.

You can write your own program as small as you want.
It's handy and enough.

THE REASON TWO: BECAUSE YOU CAN LEARN THE LOGICAL THINKING

The programming is very good lesson for you to improve your logical thinking.
The computer is so strict that you have to right your thought so clearly.
You got to analyse and break down your work in the algolysmic way -- if then ~ else branch, for look etc.
So after you write down your own software, you will feel you understand your business more clearly and deeply.
And you can be wiser.
The logical thinking can be applied in the every moments in your life.

THE REASON THREE: BECAUSE IT'S FUN

To make your own program run is very fun.
It's like constructing LEGO castle, solve pazzles, and write poems.
It's logical and creative at the same time.
Even if you are not tech person, I sware you can enjoy it.

*

Now, the important decidion is what language you choose.

I recommend Perl.

THE REASON ONE: BECAUSE IT'S FREE

Very simple truth.
You can download it for free.

THE REASON TWO: BECAUSE IT'S POPULAR

If you use Linux or Macintosh, you don't even need to download it.
It's already installed.
For some Linux distributions, Perl is used as the part of installer and package manager.
So if you understand Perl, you can understand your own computer's system more deeply.

THE REASON THREE: BECAUSE IT'S EASY

Following is the program to copy the file.

　print <>;

Following is the program to sort the file and copy it.

　print sort <>;

Following is the program to reverse the file from the end to the top and copy it.

　print reverse <>;

So how can you sort and reverse the file and copy it?
Yes, you already know, you can do it as:

　print reverse sort <>;

Very handy.
One of the Perl's main purpose is support your laziness.

THE REASON FOUR: BECAUSE IT'S FUN

Perl is really enjoyable programming language.
Do you doubt that the programming language could be enjoyable?
But it's true.
If you still doubt it, you can confirm it by starting to learn it.



To be honest, I want to recommend my own book.



It's more easy --- if you already learned Japanese! ;-)