That doesn't work at my machine at all. 

perl -e'system(1,"/usr/bin/xterm") and die'
Died at -e line 1.

[download]
While 
perl -e'system("/usr/bin/xterm") and die'

[download]
Does open an xterm window.

update: xdg found the correct answer: that construct only works on Win32.

"What should it profit a man, if he should win a flame war, yet lose his cool?"

In reply to Re: system() not quite as described? by Joost
in thread system() not quite as described? by jdtoronto

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