ActiveState's site is a little twisty, and I know that once I accidentally downloaded the poorly named "Windows Installer" (the Windows MSI installation service) instead of Perl. From the error message you're getting, it sounds like you may have done the same.

Here's a direct link to the download page. If you don't want to register, just click next. Select your preferred version from the table in the middle of the page (on the right hand side is the link to avoid).

Good luck!

Also, where is the installer? All I want is "Install ActivePerl", but the ActiveState website is a maze to work through!

I believe the site is deliberately obfuscated by their marketing people. All hints lead to the $$$ stuff - you'll find more that you want in more than one place.

Click on the ActivePerl link - it's under LANGUAGES, not under PRODUCTS (sic) on the left navigation column. Then you'll be presented with an introductory page stating, among other things, that As part of ActiveState's support for Perl, we provide the ActivePerl packages free to the Perl community.. A few sentences later there's a hook to buy ActiveCD (ActivePerl is also available on the ActiveCD). No references to downloading in the text body.

At this stage you're banging your head against As part of ActiveState's support for Perl, we provide the ActivePerl packages free to the Perl community.. Quite different from "this stuff is free download for everybody, if you're interested click here" don't you think? ... What the heck is this "Perl Community"? ... Where do I sign up? ... Do they ask for references? ... Is there a membership fee? ... I'm not a Perl core contributor so I don't think I'm eligible for free membership! ... Do I need to have a support contract to be eligible? ... I think I'll just buy the bloody CD, I'm losing my precious time here!

If you're really determined and happen to have a keen eye you'll see the red button just below the ad bar. The ad is the same color - so your brain skips it automatically by virtue of the Pavlovian ad-avoiding reflex which all Internauts develop.

Ok, enough ranting for today. The world is owned by bloody devil-worshipping Capitalist pig-leeches, surrounded by an army of lackeys :)

the ActiveState website is a maze to work through!