This is perl, v5.6.1 built for i386-linux (obviously a buggy version)

Output(piped through xxd): 0000000: 1740 a86f 00                             .@.o.

This is perl, v5.8.1-RC3 built for darwin-thread-multi-2level

The order of the letters and 00 byte is random. Is that the effect you intended?

Update: This is perl, v5.8.4 built for i386-linux-thread-multi

This one works. The 00 byte appears first.

Moral for obfu writers: write once, test everywhere!