use Socket;

# declare some self describing constants

use constant DEFAULT_ADDR => '127.0.0.1'; # the local host
use contant  PORT => 13; # well known daytime service port
use constant IPPROTO_TCP => 6; # lets use TCP shall we

# get host from commandline or use default
my $address = shift || DEFAULT_ADDR;

# well IP address is really a 32bit UINT
my $packed_addr = inet_aton($address);
# whoops better include socket/port
my $destination = sockaddr_in(PORT, $packed_addr);

#ok lets put it together get ourselfs a SOKET handle

socket(SOCK,PF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, IPPROTO_TCP) or die;

# hey man whats the time

connect(SOCK, $destination);

print <SOCK>;

#
## there is a lot of good stuff around the Monasterary on this
##subject, like why it is often not a good idea to use things like 
## print <SOCK> and $line = <SOCK>
#