Lmao Python has been around since 1991 only three years after Perl appeared. How's it a fad? Sucess of python is a testament to the difference a simple and beginner-friendly syntax can make as well as the "batteries-included" paradigm. Most people don't realize how much of a difference these things make especially in removing the initial barrier to get started with programming. There's a reason Go language creators enforced a rigid formatting requirement. It not only improves readability but helps in creating clever tools for syntax checking and other tasks. Readability is key, the fact that Perl code is compatible with that 20 years before makes no difference as they have such bad readability (especially quickly made scripts for sysadmin tasks which no newbie can understand and maintain now). So even for now Python is the best choice for shell scripting, eventually until Go takes over. At this point unfortunately I don't see any area where Perl can make a difference compared to other languages.