Here is the answer from perlfaq8

Why can't I get the output of a command with system()?

You're confusing the purpose of system() and backticks (``).
system() runs a command and returns exit status information 
(as a 16 bit value: the low 7 bits are the signal the process 
died from, if any, and the high 8 bits are the actual exit 
value). Backticks (``) run a command and return what it 
sent to STDOUT.


    $exit_status   = system("mail-users");

    $output_string = `ls`;
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Update

This is the verbatim FAQ test. There is nothing per se wrong with your use of system in the example. I was to lazy to do more than cut and paste this.

cheers

tachyon

s&&rsenoyhcatreve&&&s&n.+t&"$'$`$\"$\&"&ee&&y&srve&&d&&print