I quite often seem to do this:

$text = do_something_complicated_to($text);

and assume that it's economical that way. But a couple of recent posts have made me suspect that i'm actually creating a whole new variable there. Is this true? if so, there must be a better way.

Is this the way to do it? It feels fragile (and scary):

do_something_complicated_to(\$me);

Or maybe there's something one can do by returning a ref that would have a similar effect but where i can see it?

I guess what i really want is this:

$text =~ something_complicated();

but since i can't have that, what's the Right Way, please?

In reply to style q: duplication? of variables by thpfft

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