Actually, this gets weirder, consider 
BEGIN{if(fork){die}}

[download]
and 
BEGIN{if(!fork){die}}

[download]
On Activestate 5.8.4, the first produces 
Died at fork.pl line 1.
BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at j2.pl line 1.
whilst the second 
panic: restartop
Now why should that be?

In reply to Re: In the BEGINing there were no forks? by Anonymous Monk
in thread In the BEGINing there were no forks? by Anonymous Monk

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