Well, the perldocs do not always show complete working code examples, especially if you are on windows. Furthermore, you didn't take that example from the perldoc, it was some "perlfect site mini-tutorial". Bi-directional sockets are tricky to make work correctly, and you may as well benefit from other people who have already solved a problem. You almost always need IO::Select with Sockets. The Perlfect tutorial should have mentioned that. If you have "self-respect", don't ask here. :-) Self-respect is another word for "ego", and a good monk is ego-less and humble.