1.2: Why eval Is Evil

• In the beginning was eval string
• eval STRING compiles code, runs it and catches die and fatal errors
• eval BLOCK catches die and fatal errors
• The code in eval BLOCK is compiled compile time and the code executes when the eval BLOCK is run
• eval STRING compiles its code at run time and executes it immediately
• Larry made a mistake keeping both functions with the same name.
  • They have little to do with each other.
  • Other languages call eval BLOCK names like try/catch which is much more descriptive
• Newbies learn it and use it for everything
• Not for the timid or faint of heart
• Overkill for most problems
• Action at a distance
• Harder to debug
• Can do equivalent evil of symbolic referencing
  • Symbolic references themselves are evil
  • Symbol table is for symbols, not data structures