Sorry about the format but ... why does one need to use HTML tags to format one's own post???? It's my first post. I guess I'm used to sites more intelligently designed that format as written in the window.

Nonetheless, the points I made are compelling. JavaFan's assertions are absolutely false. List slicing of //g, if it creates no list, makes the list variable undefined

I'd also like to add that Perl nitpickers like to get all hot and bothered about lists vs. arrays yet the goatse is the one stop shop that enables //g to be added if one is COUNTING matches.

I've largely avoided this site because as a lurker I've noticed that the "priests" and above are more interested in obscurantism and showing off than in helping newbies correctly and getting jobs done simply. TMTOWTDI is VASTLY abused here.