Hi Katie,
Random thoughts ahead ... At our university, the CompSci department has a Linux box (called torvalds) that professors can assign accounts for. One of my professors wrote a very simple program on this computer that accepts students assignments. In order for a student to turn in an assignment (which is contained in a tar ball), they have to log in to torvalds and run this script (locate in /usr/bin/ or such). The script accepts the name of the tar ball, and copies it to a protected directory with a new name (probably a combo of the student's login name and assignment number). No database is used. A student can submit their assignment multiple times, each new submit simply copies over the old one. The script also has a deadline set so that students cannot turn in late assignments. The script has to run as root, so precautions are needed, but other than that - it is very simple and very effective.

I am not sure if you can use any of these ideas. But i thought i would share none the less. I wish i could simply post the code that my professor wrote ... but he won't let me. ;) Besides, i don't think it's written in Perl anyway.

Best of luck!

jeffa

L-LL-L--L-LL-L--L-LL-L--
-R--R-RR-R--R-RR-R--R-RR
B--B--B--B--B--B--B--B--
H---H---H---H---H---H---
(the triplet paradiddle with high-hat)