Simplify and add lightness (oh, wait, adding lightness is for aircraft design :)

#!/usr/bin/perl

# http://perlmonks.org/?node_id=1135034

use strict;
$| = 1;

my $active_readers = 0;
my $current_reader_limit = 10;
my $total = 0;

while(1)
  {
  if($active_readers < $current_reader_limit)
    {
    $active_readers++;
    ++$total;
    if(my $pid = fork) # parent
      {
      print "Spawned child $active_readers pid $pid  total $total\n";
      }
    elsif(defined $pid) # child
      {
      exec "echo Hello from child $active_readers pid \$\$"
        or die "exec failed with $!";
      }
    else # fork failed
      {
      die "fork failed with $!";
      }
    }
  elsif((my $pid = wait()) > 0)
    {
    $active_readers--;
    print "Reaped $pid, active = $active_readers\n"
    }
  }
[download]