As pointed out in a followup, Real Perl Programmers prefer things to be visually distinct.

It may be possible to get this condition from within Perl if a signal handler runs at just the wrong moment. Another point for Chip... :-)

The Harvard Law states: Under controlled conditions of light, temperature, humidity, and nutrition, the organism will do as it damn well pleases.

Well, you can implement a Perl peek() with unpack('P',...). Once you have that, there's only security through obscurity. :-)

I've always maintained a cordial dislike for indent, because it's usually right.

So far we've managed to avoid turning Perl into APL. :-)

I don't see myself as experimenting in any conscious way, it's perhaps that certain books require different densities of language.