$VAR1 = { 'hour' => 4, 'minute' => 44, 'month' => 1, 'day' => 1, 'year' => 2000 }; $VAR2 = { 'hour' => 4, 'minute' => 45, 'month' => 1, 'day' => 1, 'year' => 2000 }; $VAR1 = { 'HASH(0x904d00)' => { 'fries_sold' => 4, 'sodas_sold' => 7, 'burgers_sold' => 2 }, 'HASH(0x815d48)' => { 'fries_sold' => 3, 'sodas_sold' => 11, 'burgers_sold' => 5 } }; HASH(0x904d00) => HASH(0x90c238) fries_sold => 4 sodas_sold => 7 burgers_sold => 2 Can't use string ("HASH(0x904d00)") as a SCALAR ref while "strict refs" in use