> Q1) What purpose does this line serve?

the long read: https://xdg.me/blog/version-numbers-should-be-boring/

in short: there are different notations for version numbers which only become comparable after eval.

> Q2) Is this a "string eval?"

yes

> Q4) Does anyone else remember the "that's why we eval version" comment, or is it just me?

Sawyer gave two talks, probably you are confusing them?

Cheers Rolf
(addicted to the Perl Programming Language :)
Wikisyntax for the Monastery

In reply to Re: Why eval $version? by LanX
in thread Why eval $version? by Aldebaran

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