Here is my sample code... 
#!/usr/bin/perl

srand(time);

#option 1
my @a = ("b","c","d","e","f","g","h","i","j");
my $a = "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa";
$a =~ s/a/$a[int(rand(@a))]/g;
print "\noption 1:\n$a\n";

#option 2
my @b = ("b","c","d","e","f","g","h","i","j");
my $b = "bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb";
$b =~ s/b/randme()/ge;
print "\noption 2:\n$b\n";
sub randme {
return $b[int(rand(@b))];
}

#option 3
my @c = ("b","c","d","e","f","g","h","i","j");
my $c = "ccccccccccccccccccc";
for (;;) {
last unless $c =~ s/c/$c[int(rand(@c))]/;
}
print "\noption 3:\n$c\n";

[download]
And here are the results... 
option 1:
bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb

option 2:
gjfcijeeddgbcghddjjff

option 3:
dbjdbhbhdbedfdeifdb

[download]
Why on earth won't option 1 return random letters, especially since option 2 will?! This doesn't make logical sense to my poorly constructed brain.

And is there a better way to do what I am looking to do (the results of 2 or 3 above)?

In reply to randomizing global replacement by lokiloki

Title:
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