The problem is that the program will then increment that default hash value of 1.

I don't see how that is a problem. Right now, this code:

$counts{$url}=0 if !defined $counts{$url};
$counts{$url}++;
[download]

Makes a new hash instance 0, than increments it; also incrementing each repeated instance. If you just take out that first line, the results are the same.

On a side note, exists probably would have been better, instead of defined. But mabey that's just me : )

The 15 year old, freshman programmer,
Stephen Rawls