sub getopts ($;$) {
    my ($argumentative, $hash) = @_;
    my (@args,$first,$rest,$exit);
    my $errs = 0;
    local $_;
    local @EXPORT;

    @args = split( / */, $argumentative );
    while(@ARGV && ($_ = $ARGV[0]) =~ /^-(.)(.*)/s) {
	($first,$rest) = ($1,$2);
	if (/^--$/) {	# early exit if --
	    shift @ARGV;
	    last;
	}
	my $pos = index($argumentative,$first);
	if ($pos >= 0) {
	    if (defined($args[$pos+1]) and ($args[$pos+1] eq ':')) {
		shift(@ARGV);
		if ($rest eq '') {
		    ++$errs unless @ARGV;
		    $rest = shift(@ARGV);
		}
		if (ref $hash) {
		    $$hash{$first} = $rest;
		}
		else {
		    ${"opt_$first"} = $rest;
		    push( @EXPORT, "\$opt_$first" );
		}
	    }
	    else {
		if (ref $hash) {
		    $$hash{$first} = 1;
		}
		else {
		    ${"opt_$first"} = 1;
		    push( @EXPORT, "\$opt_$first" );
		}
		if ($rest eq '') {
		    shift(@ARGV);
		}
		else {
		    $ARGV[0] = "-$rest";
		}
	    }
	}
	else {
	    if ($first eq '-' and $rest eq 'help') {
		version_mess($argumentative, 'main');
		help_mess($argumentative, 'main');
		try_exit();
		shift(@ARGV);
		next;
	    } elsif ($first eq '-' and $rest eq 'version') {
		version_mess($argumentative, 'main');
		try_exit();
		shift(@ARGV);
		next;
	    }
	    warn "Unknown option: $first\n";
	    ++$errs;
	    if ($rest ne '') {
		$ARGV[0] = "-$rest";
	    }
	    else {
		shift(@ARGV);
	    }
	}