One way to give the reader the idea that it is shared data that never changes is to put a comment in that says:
# This is shared data! Do not change it!
Perl's contracts are usually maintained by agreement rather than by enforcement. Of course, you could encapsulate it (as another poster has suggested).

Caution: Contents may have been coded under pressure.

In reply to Re: Representing Complex but Static Data in Perl by Roy Johnson
in thread Representing Complex but Static Data in Perl by cyocum

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