I think this spilling-over is an advantage in printf, because in formats if you are not setting the placeholders correctly, it trims the ends, for example

my $string = "something";
format STDOUT=
@<<<<
$string
.
write;        #"somet" and the rest is chopped away.
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and in my case, I go back and start counting the "<"s and recalculate, and imagine if someone uses binoculars for glasses and how their counting would be. So in printf all the intervention you got to do in case something is spilling over is to just add a space or anything, I mean, a little intervention...

Frankly, , your tips are so amazing, I mean, they come to me at time that I need them emphasized over and over, usually, I do it this way, "incremental development" all the time, it takes time from me but I think I am gaining momentum, sometimes I lose track and go random, get stuck and come to PM to wench me out of the mud and other times I am smooth...hehehe

ummm, finally, check this Personality Splits and Programming, ELISHEVA wrote some informative advice, you might wanna add yours too for us all to learn from.... thanks Marshall and I am indebted.