$ perl filename 200000 via_concat: 2002091114542256876 via_anonsub: 2002091114542256876 via_posix: 2002091114542256876 via_sprintf: 2002091114542256876 Benchmark: timing 200000 iterations of via_anonsub, via_concat, via_posix, via_sprintf... via_anonsub: 7 wallclock secs ( 5.60 usr + 0.28 sys = 5.88 CPU) via_concat: 21 wallclock secs (18.71 usr + 0.55 sys = 19.27 CPU) via_posix: 13 wallclock secs ( 9.59 usr + 0.62 sys = 10.20 CPU) via_sprintf: 10 wallclock secs ( 6.67 usr + 0.39 sys = 7.06 CPU)