As long as open have its parameters in brackets || is ok. However I do prefer or version since it allows me to use open without brackets. That is:

open SCEMAIL, "< $spamcop_email" or die "Can't open $spamcop_email: $!
+";
[download]

Note: It is good idea to add $! in string printed by die because it helps to diagnose the problem which caused fail of open.

--
Ilya Martynov (http://martynov.org/)