Therefore, system() can return -1 when system() successfully started the command.

Yes. It could mean it was unsuccessful in reaping the child. However, that will only happen when $SIG{CHLD} is overridden, and you shouldn't be using system when you do that.

In reply to Re^2: return value from system call, exit status, shift right 8, bitwise and, $? by ikegami
in thread return value from system call, exit status, shift right 8, bitwise and, $? by Anonymous Monk

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