BEGIN{
  eval {require mem };
  if ($@ && $@ =~ /Can't locate mem/) {
    # attempt to install via cpan
    my $inst=`cpan -i mem`;
    $inst =~ /PASS/ || do {
    die "\n*****************************************\n".
         "*****************************************\n" .
         "*****************************************\n" .
         "*   Cannot install mem via cpan: BIGFAIL*\n".
         "*****************************************\n" .
         "*****************************************\n" .
         "*****************************************\n";
     };
  }
}