Firstly, what does "home directory" mean? Is this cgi-bin or the directory which contains it?

Read the Unix manual. It's the directory you start in when you log into your webhost.

Secondly, what does "change @INC to look there" mean. What is @INC and how do I change it? And will I still be able to use the sysadmin's modules?

@INC is the list of directories that Perl uses to find the modules you requested that it bring into your script, like CGI or IO::File or whatever. You modify it by doing a

use lib '/this/directory/has/neat/modules';
@INC lookups are done last added first. Thus, if you added a directory, but the module you're use-ing or require-ing isn't there, it looks in the next entry in @INC. You already have a number of entries that are default. use lib 'somedir'; simply says "Look here first. If it isn't here, then look where you would've looked if I hadn't done this."

As for you installing your own modules ... Learn more about Unix first. It sounds like you're a newbie to Unix in general. You'll have more headaches installing modules than you know what to do with. Of course, if you don't mind that, you'll learn a heck of a lot about Unix installing modules...

As for learning Unix, go to a local library and borrow some books. It's a big learning curve, so don't expect to be an expert in a week, month, or even a year. But, you can expect to become at least proficient in a week or two.

------
We are the carpenters and bricklayers of the Information Age.

Don't go borrowing trouble. For programmers, this means Worry only about what you need to implement.


In reply to Re: Re: RE: Modules by dragonchild
in thread Stock Quotes by scribe

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