why do I want to install my own Perl 5.8.8 when Leopard comes with Perl 5.8.8?

because I don't trust my competence with installing Perl and its various moving parts, and I do experiment quite a bit. As such, I don't want to do *anything* to the factory Perl. By rolling my own, I also get to learn, and that way, when I install my programs on other machines (mainly web programs that I develop on my laptop, and then install for production on other servers on which also I install my Perl) I am hopefully that much savvier. Since my laptop is really my lifeline and sole device for earning bread, I just don't want to muck with any of the factory stuff.

I was going to install 5.10 but then I read the caveat on perl.com and just didn't have the heart to get into testing my programs, etc. 5.8.8 works for me, and very well, and I will happily stay with it for a few months if not a year or so.