The PLEAC Project over at SourceForge is a project that is taking all the cookbook examples in "The Perl Cookbook" and re-implementing them in various high-level languages.
The project will eventually act as sort of a Rosetta Stone for programming languages. Based on the PLEAC examples developers can see into the structure of another programming language quickly without first having to become schooled in that language.
If Rosetta Stone is too grand an idea for you... then think of the PLEAC as a pocket phrase-book for programmers traveling for the weekend in a foreign land... programmers who just want to order a beer and find the restroom.
As of this writing Groovy is the only other programming language that has 100% of the Perl Cookbook examples implemented in it. (Obviously, the Perl examples already existed.) I don't know if this is an indicator of the popularity of Groovy or some other indicator of how well non-Java programmers can pick up Groovy. It's very odd that the Ruby and PHP examples are not complete yet.
I would encourage folks no matter what programming language they use to please contribute to this project as it will be a valuable resource for anyone in any programming language. Just like the Rosetta Stone, it will only help to foster the exchange of ideas between the programming communities. Or, at least help you order a beer.
