I installed a new module on my computer today and while looking at the output of the CPAN installation script, I was curious at what .pm files looked like opened. Now, what I saw did not make sense to me. It is unreadable. 

.tr \(*W-
.ds C+ C\v'-.1v'\h'-1p'\s-2+\h'-1p'+\s0\v'.1v'\h'-1p'
.ie n \{\
.    ds -- \(*W-
.    ds PI pi
.    if (\n(.H=4u)&(1m=24u) .ds -- \(*W\h'-12u'\(*W\h'-12u'-\" diablo 
+10 pitch
.    if (\n(.H=4u)&(1m=20u) .ds -- \(*W\h'-12u'\(*W\h'-8u'-\"  diablo 
+12 pitch
.    ds L" ""
.    ds R" ""
.    ds C` ""
.    ds C' ""
'br\}
.el\{\
.    ds -- \|\(em\|
.    ds PI \(*p
.    ds L" ``
.    ds R" ''
'br\}
.\"
.\" Escape single quotes in literal strings from groff's Unicode trans
+form.
.ie \n(.g .ds Aq \(aq
.el       .ds Aq '
.\"

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This is just a snippet. What do those cryptic symbols mean?

In reply to .pm Files by carlriz

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