in reply to how do i configure apache webserver to run perl scripts

You'll need to take a look at your apache error log to see what the "internal server error" is. The four most likely cases (in my experience) would be:
The CGI program is in a directory which does not have CGI execution enabled.

Solution: Add the ExecCGI option to that directory via either httpd.conf or a .htaccess file.

Apache is only configured to run CGIs from a dedicated cgi-bin directory.

Solution: Move the CGI program there or add an AddHandler cgi-script .cgi statement to httpd.conf.

The CGI program is not set as executable.

Solution (assuming a *nix-type operating system): chmod +x my_prog.cgi

The CGI program is exiting without sending headers.

Solution: Run the program from the command line and verify that a) it actually runs rather than dying with a compile-time error and b) it generates the correct output, which should include, at the very minimum, a Content-Type header and a blank line following the last of its headers.

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