Problem Solving via Programming Languages

As an interlude to the OO series, I want to clarify something about language preference.

BASIC, C, C++, C#, IA64, Java, Lisp, MIPS, ML / OCAML, Perl, Python, and X86 / X64 -- I've written executable code in them all (some far more than others).  While C dominates my coding experience, and is my general preference, I recognize that sometimes another language provides better support.  Usually, this support is primarily a reduction in development time, but I'd like to delve a little deeper into why I choose three particular languages: C, C#, and Perl.

C -- "Machine independent assembly"
When I chose to write C code, I'm often thinking of precisely how a computer will execute the high-level solution that I've sketched.  Usually, given a problem, I am decomposing it into executable bits, like looping through a list, building a tree just-so, etc.  I know what I want, and if I'm wrong then its my foot that I'm shooting.

C# -- "Rapid application development"
I'm only beginning to use C# regularly, but I'm finding it very useful for achieving simple tasks, particularly those that require a UI.  .NET is providing an extensive collection of support libraries, so that loading graphics, interacting with them, etc is mostly a matter of connecting the pieces together.  To me C# is called for when my problem is UI-centric: click the button and an image appears....

Perl -- "Text, files and strings"
My Perl use has been declining over the years, not for a dislike of the language, but rather a shortage of problems that call for its use.  Perl is my tool of choice when I need to work with lots of text and files.  I've used it to write everything from copy files between directions and rename to parse MBs of raw data and compute statistics for particular results of interest.  (The later eventually was rewritten in C for speed and portability).

I'm always thinking that one of these days I'll try learning more about a functional language.  However, I quickly fall into the trap of thinking procedurally.  "I know you're on an x86, so just let me write my assembly and we can be done."