And for that matter, it could have simply been:

  print 1..10;
[download]

I find the article to be quite misleading on the subject of implicit variables:

Critics pounce here, and say that this third example is exactly what gets us into trouble with Perl. Defenders point back to the libertarian argument for self-discipline: "don't do that". But the fact is, programmers do do that, regularly. Because they can.

"Defenders" of Perl would never say "don't do that"! Implicit variables are, ultimately, a strength of Perl. The fact that code is not immediately apparent and obvious to someone who's never troubled themselves to learn the language is not in any way an argument against it.

   MeowChow                                   
               s aamecha.s a..a\u$&owag.print