Why does perl have and __END__ token, but not a __BEGIN__ token?
Why are we permited to store data only at the end of a file?
Is it unreasonable to want to attach runnable perl code to the end of a file?

What I mean is, why is this forbidden: 

b@d

__BEGIN__

print 'ignore b@d';
die;

[download]
but this allowed: 
print 'ignore b@d';
die;

__END__
b@d

[download]
There is a defined BEGIN{} subroutine that is the first thing run when a perl script is called, but perl decides that running it is un-safe if there are syntax errors anywhere in the file. For example: 
b@d

BEGIN{
print 'ignore b@d';
die;
}

[download]
Does not run.

Am I missing something?

update:perl -x is close enough for me =)

In reply to __END__ without __BEGIN__? by ktross

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