Because that is how it was designed :-) And rightly so (I say this even though I've just been bitten by this in @array = map {s/regexp/replace/} split(/,/, $text)) If the s/// returned the resulting string how would you know whether the regexp matched and whether anything was replaced?

if ($text =~ s/foo/bar/) {
  ...
} else {
  ...
}
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Jenda
Always code as if the guy who ends up maintaining your code will be a violent psychopath who knows where you live.
   -- Rick Osborne

Edit by castaway: Closed small tag in signature