# this reports a problem if func() fails.
func $arg1, $arg2 or warn "error invoking func()";

# so does this
func( $arg1, $arg2 ) || warn "error invoking func()";

# Not what you might expect
# this invokes func( $arg1, ($arg2 || warn "error invoking func()" );
func $arg1, $arg2  || warn "error invoking func()";

##</code><code>##

# At the top of the file in the configuration section
my $first_backup = 1;
my $backup_backup = 2;
unless ($dontdothis) {
    my $status = dofistcritical()             or 
                 dobackupcritical()           or 
                 die "main and backup failed";
    if ( $status == $first_backup ) {
        dobackupremainder();
    } elsif ( $status == $backup_backup ) {
        dofirstremainder();
    } else {
        die( Invalid status '$status' from first backup component" );
    }
}