in reply to Data Manipulation

Any company that wants you to use 4 flat files instead of a database to handle this kind of task isn't worth to employ a Perl programmer.

Even as homework it is rather silly.

CountZero

A program should be light and agile, its subroutines connected like a string of pearls. The spirit and intent of the program should be retained throughout. There should be neither too little or too much, neither needless loops nor useless variables, neither lack of structure nor overwhelming rigidity." - The Tao of Programming, 4.1 - Geoffrey James

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In Section Seekers of Perl Wisdom