sub texec {

    my $timeout = shift;
    my $out = [];

    eval {

        local $SIG{ALRM} = sub { die "timeout\n" };
        alarm ($timeout); # set timer .. hope the platform has signals

        my $cpid = open (my $fh, "-|") || exec (@_);
        $| = 1; # line buffer

        while (<$fh>) {
            chomp;
            push (@{$out}, $_);
        }

        close ($fh);
        alarm 0; # reset, we've got all the data and we're cool

    };

    # If something died in the eval, return a ref to a list containing
    # the output as well as the die text.  otherwise just the output.

    return (($@) ? [$out, $@] : $out);

}