If you are going to drop & then you shouldn't be using all lowercase for your subroutine names. -w should really warn about this but the problem kind of snuck in. I wouldn't use all uppercase either.

Update: The reason using all-lowercase subroutine names is a problem (if you don't also use &) is that:

sub dump {
    # ...
}

dump( $data );
[download]

is going to be very confusing. OK, everyone raise their hand if they have memorized the complete list of Perl reserved words. OK, you freaks with your hands up, keep them up if you know all of the future reserved words of Perl.

I really think there should be a warning for calling a subroutine with an all-lowercase name w/o using & (with wording about "possible future reserved word") and another warning for declaring a subroutine whose name is already a reserved word (and now I think I'd also warn for all-uppercase names since we have quite a few reserved words in that category now). These cases slipped through the cracks during the Perl4-to-Perl5 transition when & became optional (and eventually even discouraged) but the practical consequences of that weren't well noticed, IMHO.

        - tye (but my friends call me "Tye")

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