that's my JAPH, as this PerlMonks post and this Google Groups post can attest.

you can't just go around stealing JAPH's like that. just because it prints a different message doesn't mean it's OK to steal code.

but, aristotle, i like your modifications very much.

Thanks batkins. And here's one for the folks who want to make one of their own. :)

#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;
undef $/;

my @body = <DATA> =~ /(.)/sg;

my %index_for;
push @{$index_for{$body[$_]}}, $_ for 0 .. $#body;

my @idx =
    map $_->[rand @$_],
    map +($index_for{$_} || [ @body + 1 ]),
    (<> =~ /(.)/sg);

print << "END";
\$/ = \\1;
print +(<DATA>)[qw(@idx)];
__DATA__
@{[ join '', @body ]}
END

__DATA__
You cannot pass,' he said. The orcs stood still and a silence fell. `I
am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor. You
cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun.
[download]

$ echo Some random phrase | perl listify | perl
Some random phrase

Writing programs that write other programs is still the biggest fun. :)

Makeshifts last the longest.

$/ = \1;
print +(<DATA>)[qw(128 7 40 20 121 67 81 99 59 123 159 79 139 93 146 8
+2 161 39 140 190 82 125 86 89 79 57 94 180 130 141 153 41 62 94 8 122
+ 97 128 100 44 21 87 125 43 64 19 137)];
__DATA__
You cannot pass,' he said. The orcs stood still and a silence fell. `I
am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor. You
cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun.
[download]

Makeshifts last the longest.