Re: On using $_ in subroutines

Bryan Harris wrote:
> John W. Krahn wrote:
> > Bryan Harris wrote:
> > > ... but by modifying $_ I was clobbering $_ elsewhere in the larger program!
> > Yes because $_ is a special global variable.  This effect is called
> > "action at a distance" which is why it is better to use named lexically
> > scoped variables instead of $_.
>
> I have the Perl Bookshelf on CD (and perldoc, obviously) -- where can I read
> more about this?

perldoc perlvar

http://shoebox.net/articles/perl-warts.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_at_a_distance_(computer_science)


> > > Oddly, perl won't let me do "my ($_) = shift;", so I'm stuck having to use
> > > another variable.
> > Perl 5.10 *will* let you do "my $_".
>
> Why is perl on OS X still at 5.8.8?  It's free, right?  why wouldn't Apple
> include the latest one?  (I know this isn't an Apple list, just wondering if
> anyone knows.)

Perl 5.10 is still at the .0 stage (5.10.0) and a lot of people like to 
wait until software has progressed past the .0 phase.




John
--
Those people who think they know everything are a great
annoyance to those of us who do.        -- Isaac Asimov

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