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文件名称：Web.Client.Programming.with.Perl.Automating.Tasks.on.the.Web.pdf
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更新时间：2022-09-06 19:53:37
Web Client Programming Perl Automating
The World Wide Web has been credited with bringing the Internet to the masses. The
Internet was previously the stomping ground of academics and a small, elite group of
computer professionals, mostly UNIX programmers and other oddball types, running obscure
commands like ftp and finger, archie and telnet, and so on.
With the arrival of graphical browsers for the Web, the Internet suddenly exploded. Anyone
could find things on the Web. You didn't need to be "in the know" anymore--you just needed
to be properly networked. Equipped with Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer or any
other browser, everyone can now explore the Internet freely.
But graphical browsers can be limiting. The very interactivity that makes them the ideal
interface for the Internet also makes them cumbersome when you want to automate a task.
It's analogous to editing a document by hand when you'd like to write a script to do the work
for you. Graphical browsers require you to navigate the Web manually. In an effort to
diminish the amount of tedious pointing-and-clicking you do with your browser, this book
shows you how to liberate yourself from the confines of your browser.
Web Client Programming with Perl is a behind-the-scenes look at how your web browser
interacts with web servers. Readers of this book will learn how the Web works and how to
write software that is more flexible, dynamic, and powerful than the typical web browser. The
goal here is not to rewrite the browser, but to give you the ability to retrieve, manipulate,
and redistribute web-based information in an automated fashion.
Who This Book Is For
I like to think that this book is for everyone. But since that's a bit of an exaggeration, let's try
to identify who might really enjoy this book.
This book is for software developers who want to expand into a new market niche. It provides
proof-of-concept examples and a compilation of web-related technical data.
This book is for web administrators who maintain large amounts of data. Administrators can
replace manual maintenance tasks with web robots to detect and correct problems with web
sites. Robots perform tasks more accurately and quickly than human hands.
But to be honest, the audience that's closest to my heart is that of computer enthusiasts,
tinkerers, and motivated students, who can use this book to satisfy their curiosity about how
the Web works and how to make it work for them. My editor often talks about when she first
learned UNIX scripting and how it opened a world of automation for her. When you learn how
to write scripts, you realize that there's very little that you can't do within that universe. With
this book, you can extend that confidence to the Web. If this book is successful, then for
almost any web-related task you'll find yourself thinking, "Hey, I could write a script to do
that!"
Unfortunately, we can't teach you everything. There are a few things that we assume that
you are already familiar with:
G The concept of client/server network applications and TCP/IP.
G How the Internet works, and how to access it.
G The Perl language. Perl was chosen as the language for examples in this book due to its
ability to hide complexity. Instead of dealing with C's data structures and low-level
system calls, Perl introduces higher-level functions and a straightforward way of
defining and using data. If you aren't already familiar with Perl, I recommend Learning
Perl by Randal Schwartz, and Programming Perl (popularly known as "The Camel Book")
by Larry Wall, Tom Christiansen, and Randal Schwartz. Both of these books are
published by O'Reilly & Associates, Inc. There are other fine Perl books as well. Check
out http://www.perl.com for the latest book critiques.
Is This Book for You?
Some of you already know why you picked up this book. But others may just have a nagging
feeling that it's something useful to know, though you may not be entirely sure why. At the
risk of seeming self-serving, let me suggest some ways in which this book may be helpful:
G Some people just like to know how things tick. If you like to think the Web is magic,
fine--but there are many who don't like to get into a car without knowing what's under
the hood. For those of you who desire a better technical understanding of the Web, this
book demystifies the web protocol and the browser/server interaction.
G Some people hate to waste even a minute of time. Given the choice between repeating
an action over and over for an hour, or writing a script to automate it, these people will
choose the script every time. Call it productivity or just stubbornness--the effect is the
same. Through web automation, much time can be saved. Repetitive tasks, like tracking
packages or stock prices, can be relegated to a web robot, leaving the user free to
perform more fruitful activities (like eating lunch).
G If you understand your current web environment, you are more likely to recognize
areas that can be improved. Instead of waiting for solutions to show up in the
marketplace, you can take an active role in shaping the future direction of your own
web technology. You can develop your own specialized solutions to fit specific problems.
G In today's frenzied high-tech world, knowledge isn't just power, it's money. A
reasonable understanding of HTTP looks nice on the resume when you're competing for
software contracts, consulting work, and jobs.