Perl version 5.8.6

Anonymous Monk has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

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Re: Perl version 5.8.6 by etcshadow (Priest) on Dec 06, 2004 at 16:28 UTC
Well, perl 5.8.6 is perl 5.008... sorta. You see, perl has two different schemes for defining version numbers. In one scheme, it's perl 5.8.6, and in the other, older, scheme, it's 5.008_06, or just 5.008. After perl 5.005 (perl 5.5, if you will), the powers that be shifted the numbering scheme, but for backwards portability, there are still a few things that refer to perl under the old version-numbering scheme. `------------ :Wq Not an editor command: Wq` [download]	[reply] [d/l]
Re^2: Perl version 5.8.6 by Koosemose (Pilgrim) on Dec 06, 2004 at 16:33 UTC
Hmm... good point, I tend to forget about the old numbering scheme, a touch before my time. But if that's the case, then why in the heck is his perl showing the old style? My Windows Perl (activestate) responds in the new style, as does the copy on Linux... kinda strange. Just Another Perl Alchemist	[reply]
Re^3: Perl version 5.8.6 by Anonymous Monk on Dec 06, 2004 at 17:01 UTC
Hello When I try to use threads, I get the following error even after installing the new 5.8.6: This Perl hasn't been configured and built properly for the threads module to work. (The 'useithreads' configuration option hasn't been u +sed.) Having threads support requires all of Perl and all of the XS modules +in the Perl installation to be rebuilt, it is not just a question of addi +ng the threads module. (In other words, threaded and non-threaded Perls are binary incompatible.) If you want to the use the threads module, please contact the people who built your Perl. Cannot continue, aborting. BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at /usr/lib/perl5/5.8.0/cygwin-multi +-64int/threads.pm line 28. [download] So if 5.008 is the new perl version, why am I not able to run a threads module? Thank you.	[reply] [d/l]
Re^4: Perl version 5.8.6 by Koosemose (Pilgrim) on Dec 06, 2004 at 18:06 UTC
Re^5: Perl version 5.8.6 by Anonymous Monk on Dec 06, 2004 at 18:30 UTC
Some notes below your chosen depth have not been shown here
Re: Perl version 5.8.6 by Koosemose (Pilgrim) on Dec 06, 2004 at 15:52 UTC
You probably have the older version still installed, and it's before the newer one in your path. I would suggest a where command, but I've yet to see a win port of that. I guess you could just do a search for perl.exe and figure out where the older version is, and uninstall it. Unless of course this is a system you don't have full control over, in which case you'll just have to use the full path of the new one to call it... Just Another Perl Alchemist	[reply]
Re: Perl version 5.8.6 by Happy-the-monk (Canon) on Dec 06, 2004 at 15:49 UTC
The `perl` that answers is the one that comes first in your `%PATH%` settings. The new perl may not be in your search path at all. Necessary update: Now, that fooled me. As etcshadow points out below, 5.008_something is 5.8.something in the old numbering scheme (before the Linux kernel versioning metrix became fashionable). Cheers, Sören	[reply]
Re: Perl version 5.8.6 by gellyfish (Monsignor) on Dec 06, 2004 at 15:56 UTC
Hmmm, what do you get if do: `perl -e"print $]"` [download] /J\	[reply] [d/l]
Re^2: Perl version 5.8.6 by Anonymous Monk on Dec 06, 2004 at 16:57 UTC
Hello I get 5.008 when I type that command. What do you suggest? Thanks.	[reply]
Re: Perl version 5.8.6 by Anonymous Monk on Dec 16, 2004 at 18:10 UTC
Try `perl5.8.6 -v`	[reply]