I'd like to introduce you Ruby the object-oriented scripting language
from Japan, which:

  * is object-oriented from scratch.
  * is totally free, open-source language.
  * has exception handling.
  * has iterators and closures.
  * can load libraries dynamically.
  * is highly portable.  Runs on many UNIXen, Win32, Mac, BeOS, etc.
  * has user-level builtin thread feature available on all platforms.
  * is less cryptic than perl.  YMMV. :-)
  * runs faster than python.
  * has genuine conservative GC.
  * can mix C-defined method and Ruby-defined method in a class.
  * is easier to write extension libraries.
  * needs no ref-count maintenance in extension libraries.

Here's testimony from Germany:

  From: Clemens Hintze <c.hin...@gmx.net>
  > Like any programmer I know many programming languages. It has took me
  > three weeks to decide to learn Perl, one week for the decision to learn
  > Python and ONE day to decide to learn Ruby!!!

Looks like Christmas came early this year.  :-) :-)

I was going to create a language this Xmas and call it Dwarf, complete
with builtins like 'cat', 'gimboid', and 'vindaloo'.  Oh well...

I guess the equivalent of $self would be $smeg then.

$smeg->cat(gimboid('angle-head'));