The IO::Select module is really just an OO wrapper for the select builtin function, so you don't have to fiddle with that 'vector bits tech stuff'. It seems to me that if you are already going to the trouble to use the module, you might as well use the convenience functions (can_read(), can_write() etc.) provided by the module, but that's just my opinion...

In summation, I believe your snippets will do the same thing, which is to ask select to return handles that can read...

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3dan