Use utf8 data on 5.6.x (and even 5.8.0) at your peril. In the earlier 5.8.x versions there were steadily decreasing numbers of utf8-related bugs, but 5.6.x's problem is not only bugs but a bad paradigm. If you must use modules which return utf8 data on 5.6.1, I can only suggest that you decontaminate it at once. perlunicode on 5.6.x says
WARNING: As of the 5.6.1 release, the implementation of Unicode support in Perl is incomplete, and continues to be highly experimental.
and really means it.

In reply to Re^7: Portable length() in bytes. by ysth
in thread Portable length() in bytes. by William G. Davis

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