Also, in addition to what Chmrr said, there is the fact that system is safer than backticks. With system you can specify the executable to be run explicitly, whereas the backticks have it specified implicitly. That is to say that system can be used like backticks, but does not have to be. 
# All similar in functionality
`tar czf /tmp/stuff.tar.gz /stuff`
open ("tar czf /tmp/stuff.tar.gz /stuff");
system ("tar czf /tmp/stuff.tar.gz /stuff");
system ("tar", "czf", "/tmp/stuff.tar.gz", "/stuff");

# Don't search path, specify explicitly
system ("/bin/tar", "czf", "/tmp/stuff.tar.gz", "/stuff");

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Using the system call is also useful when you want to control how the parameters are split. It is a more flexible way of running programs than either open or backticks.

In reply to Re: system call vs. back quotes by tadman
in thread system call vs. back quotes by Ras

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