If the thesis behind this web site is correct, something called Modern Perl or Enlightened Perl exists. It's definable. A well-socialized member of the Perl community can look at a piece of code and say "That's modern!" or "That's not modern!" Code has an aroma; we speak of code smells as antipatterns. Good Perl 5 code written in 2009 has identifiable characteristics which distinguish it from bad code written in 2009 or mediocre code written in 2004 or decent code written in 1999.

Many of those differences are subtle. Some come from Perl Best Practices. Some don't.

It's interesting to me to consider some of the changes in the Perl community and in Perl 5 itself which contribute to the new Perl 5 renaissance. This list is obviously subjective and perhaps incomplete in places, but I see these events as particular watersheds.

I may have missed a few spots along the road; feel free to fill in any gaps you see. I've deliberately left off most of the events of the past several months. Time will let us judge their efficacy and their legacies.