For instance, let's say I have an object "User" whose constructor contains something vaguely like this (this is not a real sample of the code I'm working on, just a bit of mock code):

$self = {
   fname => "Hot",
   lname => "Pastrami",
   properties => {
      favoriteColors => [ "muave", "periwinkle" ],
      condiments => [ "mustard", "saurkraut" ],
   },
};
[download]

...would I be expected to write functions to access each of the values in $self->{properties}, or can I get away with assigning directly, such as:

my $user = User->new();
$user->{properties}{favoriteColors}[2] = "sepia";
[download]

I know that Perl allows both, but will directly assigning a value in an instance like this cause any self-respecting Perl developer to find me and make my dental records obolete?

Thanks,

Hot Pastrami