LWP::Simple serves most of my (admittedly simple) requirements.

Even if your requirements are more complicated, it would be a good starting point while you get used to Perlish way.

Beyond that, there is LWP proper and all it's secure connection extensions. And then WWW::Mechanize and similar beyond that.

If you really want to BE a web browser, use Gtk2::WebKit, see Perl Web Browser using Gtk2 and WebKit for an example.

Greetings zentara, and thank you for your reply.
I see quite a few recomendations for WWW::Mechanize. To tell you the truth
after posting this question, I went back to work on an old project "docperl",
that predates that fancy web based version jon allen whipped up. Frankly,
I like mine better, as it gropes your own server for any/all the modules you already
have installed, and lists them, as well as producing the pod for viewing. I decided
it warranted being made public, so I needed to bring it's formatting out of the
'90's -- can you say Frames/Framesets? :P. Anyway, point being, while using it, I
discovered I had LWP installed, as a prerequisite for another module I had
installed. So read up on it, and had figured it to be adequate enough to fulfill my
needs. But now back here to catch up on "Seekers of Perl Wisdom" posts, you, and
others in this thread, have really piqued my interest in WWW::Mechanize. After
glossing over the related link you posted. I'd have to agree, it looks pretty
nice -- Thanks! :)

"Perl Web Browser using Gtk2 and WebKit"
Funny, I just happen to already have both of those installed. I was hoping to get
some time to explore all that Gtk2 had to offer, so when I noticed it, I
decided it was a "must have". I'll definitely have a look at that. But alas,
I'm going to need to get up to speed on WWW::Mechanize. Once I build the
necessary script(s) || module(s). I'll try and expand on it with the Gtk2
interface/extension.

Thanks again, to you, and everyone else, who have taken the time to respond!
I'll post back to this thread with anything "noteworthy". :)

use perl::always;
my $perl_version = "5.12.4";
print $perl_version;

But before you "post back," please read Perl Monks Approved HTML tags and/or Markup in the Monastery for how to format text (generally, using para tags, not <br />)

Mojolicious also has a HTTP client. There also are Web::Magic and the Mechanize (and WWW::Scripter) family of modules which implement HTTP clients that behave like a web browser to various degrees.

Personally, I like the API that WWW::Mechanize gives, but none of the modules is inherently bad.

To save you some time, here's a couple of hints from my brief experience:

# check the html on the page - skip this for brevity
$mech->page_links_ok();
html_tidy_ok( $mech->content() );
[download]

$mech->content_contains( 'Sorry, we couldn’t find anything that 
+matched your search.' );
[download]