I started writing CGI scipts using straight HTML. But now I am experimenting with using CGI.pm. I suggest buying Lincoln Stein's book. There is a methodology behind CGI.pm that should make CGI scripts easier to build and maintain. The thing that sold me is the sticky forms. If I want to let the user hit a submit button that does something and restores that form without resetting the fields to its default values, I can do it with less explicit code. Instead of reinventing this mechanism, I can use a common convention. One side benefit and that the CGI functions often produces better output. Using straight HTML, I was able to introduce some javascript. Using CGI functions, I was able to do the same thing. However, the CGI functions also added code to comment out the javascript within older browsers. Another side benefit is that the code needed to build tables is more compact when you use CGI functions. I have some colleagues who applaud the move. Conversely, there are a few who make it sound like CGI is going to eventually bite me. We'll see.