This is very easy to do using threads. 

#! perl -slw
use strict;
use threads;

my( @t, @r );

push @t, async { `dir /s c:` };
push @t, async { `dir /s d:` };
push @t, async { `dir /s p:` };

print "doing other stuff..." for 1 .. 10;

# get and print the results.
push @r, $_->join for @t;
print for @r;

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Examine what is said, not who speaks.
"Efficiency is intelligent laziness." -David Dunham
"Think for yourself!" - Abigail
Timing (and a little luck) are everything!

In reply to Re: Simultaneous system() calls by BrowserUk
in thread Simultaneous system() calls by Sprad

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