Update: As for the 'perl -l' - I would lean away from that, but I have no real reasons I could back up. Why not just ($\="\n") ?

For the same reason that you shouldn't say something like: 

*CORE::log = sub {
    # Your logging code here
}

[download]
in some module buried three layers deep in your application infrastructure, just so you can write 
do_some_operation( @args )
    or log( "some_operation() failed with @args!" );

[download]

Can you see the problem? What about if I wanted to add some mathematical functionality to this application that required the use of logarithms and the log() builtin function?

The point is that you never want to violate the "Principle of Least Surprise". There are many, many community expectations in terms of how code will behave. One is that print() does not append a newline. If it suddenly starts doing so, I know I'd get very confused and spend a lot of time trying to figure out why. Modifying $\ or adding -l to the commandline is a very quiet way of making a very large global change that will confuse people who try and read your code, especially after you no longer work there.

Remember - your code belongs to your employer and you have a responsability to make sure that maintenance of said code is as cost-efficient as possible.

Being right, does not endow the right to be rude; politeness costs nothing.
Being unknowing, is not the same as being stupid.
Expressing a contrary opinion, whether to the individual or the group, is more often a sign of deeper thought than of cantankerous belligerence.
Do not mistake your goals as the only goals; your opinion as the only opinion; your confidence as correctness. Saying you know better is not the same as explaining you know better.

In reply to Re^5: printing a scalar as an array by dragonchild
in thread printing a scalar as an array by Anonymous Monk

Title:
Use:  <p> text here (a paragraph) </p>
and:  <code> code here </code>
to format your post, it's "PerlMonks-approved HTML":


  • Posts are HTML formatted. Put <p> </p> tags around your paragraphs. Put <code> </code> tags around your code and data!
  • Titles consisting of a single word are discouraged, and in most cases are disallowed outright.
  • Read Where should I post X? if you're not absolutely sure you're posting in the right place.
  • Please read these before you post! —
  • Posts may use any of the Perl Monks Approved HTML tags:
    a, abbr, b, big, blockquote, br, caption, center, col, colgroup, dd, del, details, div, dl, dt, em, font, h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6, hr, i, ins, li, ol, p, pre, readmore, small, span, spoiler, strike, strong, sub, summary, sup, table, tbody, td, tfoot, th, thead, tr, tt, u, ul, wbr
  • You may need to use entities for some characters, as follows. (Exception: Within code tags, you can put the characters literally.)
            For:     Use:
    & &amp;
    < &lt;
    > &gt;
    [ &#91;
    ] &#93;
  • Link using PerlMonks shortcuts! What shortcuts can I use for linking?
  • See Writeup Formatting Tips and other pages linked from there for more info.