The same tools

Everyone once in a while I wonder why it is that I can consistently find Perl to be such a useful tool, worth recommending in almost any context. In Adam Turoff's The State of Perl I found a great explanation:

Yet the most important lesson is this: Perl allows us to use the same tools we use to write applications and large systems to write small scripts and little hacks. Not only are we able to solve mundane problems quickly and easily, but we can use one set of tools and one set of skills to solve a wide range of problems. Furthermore, because we use the same tools, our quick hacks can work alongside larger systems. [emphasis added]

I don't think the importance of this can be overstated. It means that whenever I'm composing a one-liner to answer a client's request for data, or hacking together small scripts to make running my servers easier, I'm also becoming better with the tools that I use to build the applications that my clients use to do business. Furthermore, when I'm building the large and complex applications that my clients use to do business, I'm also becoming more adept with the tools that help to make my day to day computer use more efficient.