my $timeout = 5;
eval { #traps fatal alarm..
  local $SIG{ALRM} = sub { die "alarm\n" }; #\n required
  alarm $timeout;
  print "Do you suck (Y/N)?";
  $answer = <>;
  alarm 0;
};                                                                             
if (!($@)) { #looks like they typed something Y?...
  if ($answer =~ /[Nn]/) { # guess they dont suck
     $suck = 0;
  } else {
     #suck = 1;
  }
} else {
  $suck = 1;
  print "You didn't type anything you suck..\n";
}