Many people will attribute the "6" in "Perl 6" as the cause, but I attribute it to the "Perl" in "Perl 6". Perl 6 appears to be a sufficiently enough different language from Perl 5, much more than the apparent difference between Perl 4 and Perl 5, that it should have had a different name, not just a different version number, out of the gate. Or maybe Perl 6 changed too much, too soon to just be a single increment in the version number. The object model, the runtime, the syntax, more things were explicitly operators (I never really cared that .. was an operator in perl 5, but perl 6 seemed to make such a big deal about operators that now it seemed like you had to be concern much more with precedence, for example), more operators, more symbol/punctuation use, different idioms, a language agnostic interpreter. Compare the python 2 to python 3 transition/marketing. Calling it "Python 3000", even as just a nickname, early on may have helped indicate that it was a major change. Tools like 2to3 end up producing code that is still easily recognizable as python, because the idioms are not wildly different. People will be able to call themselves "python programmers" independent of their experience with either version. But it's still not a smooth transition and people are still asking "which version of python should I start with", but the answers are less dire than with perl.
The ambitiousness of perl 6 really warranted a different name for the language, and more explicit breaking ties with Perl's established and productioned legacy. This would have helped both projects I think. Even working on (vs in) perl 5 is somewhat considered a dead end, because it has perl 6 looming over it. It ends up doing a disservice to the livelihood of both projects.
I had a long winded reply but it got lost and I don't feel like rewriting it. Too long won't rewrite version: Perl6 was conceived in 2000, it still doesn't exist in 2013. For a number of reasons involving competing languages, cloud computing, and the end of the Mhz race, it's very tough to imagine Perl6 as anything other than a dead end.
Saying that it doesn't exist in 2013 is either disingenuous or ignorant. You can make any number of arguments as to its relevance, or whether it has achieved certain goals and milestones, but its existence is not in question.
It is very actively developed. Some (small group of) people use it every day. Some (very, very small group of) people even use it in small portions of their business.
I'll concede that. I meant it more in the way people say "Rust doesn't exist." Yes there is software that actively runs, but by no means are either generally considered ready for "production".
My main issue though is that static languages are improving to the point where I start to wonder about the relevance of any dynamic language.
My main issue though is that static languages are improving to the point where I start to wonder about the relevance of any dynamic language.
IMO static typing can be cumbersome for exploratory programming. That said, I really like the added benefits it can impart. I think an optionally typed language may be the best of both worlds, but my experience with them is minimal.
I like type inferencing, like in Haskell. You gain the benefits of static typing, but you do not have to explicitly write the types all over the place. I find that the exploratory phase goes more quickly with the compiler there to provide a sanity check.
The ambitiousness of perl 6 really warranted a different name for the language, and more explicit breaking ties with Perl's established and productioned legacy. This would have helped both projects I think. Even working on (vs in) perl 5 is somewhat considered a dead end, because it has perl 6 looming over it. It ends up doing a disservice to the livelihood of both projects.