Why does the following: 
print  "what? ", $main::{'VERSION'}, "\n";

[download]
indicate that the expression is a CODE(xxxxx) reference. Shouldn't it be a GLOB?

See perlmod under "Symbol Tables": "The value in each entry of the hash is what you are referring to when you use the *name typeglob notation"

Update: I'm thinking that this hash notation only works when such a symbol actually exists, as opposed to glob notation which autovivifies. Meanwhile, it can be "messed up" by assigning to it improperly.

Solution: Normally, assigning a ref to a glob will overwrite the proper slot. If the hash entry doesn't exist, it's not a glob, so assigning to it makes it that type, not a glob!

The docs imply that this hash syntax is equivilent to the * glob syntax. It's not. The glob syntax works for symbols that don't exist (yet), and the hash only shows existing entries and behaves exactly like a standard hash with respect to auto-vivification. It doesn't know it's supposed to be a glob.

In reply to package symbol table syntax? by John M. Dlugosz

Title:
Use:  <p> text here (a paragraph) </p>
and:  <code> code here </code>
to format your post, it's "PerlMonks-approved HTML":


  • Posts are HTML formatted. Put <p> </p> tags around your paragraphs. Put <code> </code> tags around your code and data!
  • Titles consisting of a single word are discouraged, and in most cases are disallowed outright.
  • Read Where should I post X? if you're not absolutely sure you're posting in the right place.
  • Please read these before you post! —
  • Posts may use any of the Perl Monks Approved HTML tags:
    a, abbr, b, big, blockquote, br, caption, center, col, colgroup, dd, del, details, div, dl, dt, em, font, h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6, hr, i, ins, li, ol, p, pre, readmore, small, span, spoiler, strike, strong, sub, summary, sup, table, tbody, td, tfoot, th, thead, tr, tt, u, ul, wbr
  • You may need to use entities for some characters, as follows. (Exception: Within code tags, you can put the characters literally.)
            For:     Use:
    & &amp;
    < &lt;
    > &gt;
    [ &#91;
    ] &#93;
  • Link using PerlMonks shortcuts! What shortcuts can I use for linking?
  • See Writeup Formatting Tips and other pages linked from there for more info.