Hi. CPAN is a repository of add-on modules of Perl, but it also contains a list of links to downloadable Perl distributions for windows. The most widely-used version of Perl itself for Windows is distributed by ActiveState and is called ActivePerl. It's got a nice installer, and works with NT SP 5+.

Happy Perling
ViceRaid

Thanks I have it installed now but I how do I get the Perl to execute? I am using Windows 2000 workstation. When I go into DOS to run a test script called first.pl it doesnt recognize Perl:

'first.pl' is not recognized as an internal or external command, opera
+ble program
or batch file.
[download]

I know I have to open Folder Options in Control Panel and click the File Types tab then click new but not sure what do to from there to get Perl to work. Please advise.

(You have to do "assoc ftype" or something of that nature to do that) but you can just type "perl first.pl", assuming perl is in your path to run the script.

I went to www.cpan.com but couldnt find it.

That's because it's at http://www.cpan.org. cpan.com is someone's bad idea to try and earn money with "sponsered links".

More specificly, you can find links to the windows binaries at http://cpan.org/ports/index.html#win32.