#!/usr/local/bin/perl -w
use strict;
   my $last = "";
   my $first = "";
   my $middle = "";

   ( $last, $first )   = split /,/ , 'thumb,tom' ;
   print "last:($last)  first($first) middle($middle)\n";

   ( $first, $middle ) = split / / , $first ;
   print "last:($last)  first($first) middle($middle)\n";