*test->{localsub} isn't equivalent to $::test{localsub} in the general case. It just happens to be that in the current package in the code BrowserUk wrote. You probably know that, but I just want to point out that. It's important to realize that *foo doesn't by any means imply the main namespace.

ihb

Read argumentation in its context!

Yes, I know that. I guess I should have added a remark to the effect that I'm not implying that *test->{localsub} is shared across packages. I didn't want to formulate the code using vars or our because that wouldn't have been equivalent — the difference and key point of my argument is that *test->{localsub} is an unchecked use of a global that elides strictures. So I had to use a fully qualified global variable name instead; obviously, the package would have to change according to the context of the code.

Makeshifts last the longest.

Which strictures?

#! perl -slw
use strict;

sub test{
    ## create a 'local' sub the first time we're called
    ## As many as you like each with it's own name
    *test->{localsub} = sub{
        print 'localsub1';
        return 12345;
    } unless exists *test->{localsub};

    ## USE IT WRONG!!
    *test->{lacolsub}();
    *tset->{localhost}();
}

print test;

__END__
P:\test>test
Name "main::tset" used only once: possible typo at P:\test\test.pl lin
+e 14.
Use of uninitialized value in subroutine entry at P:\test\test.pl line
+ 13.
Can't use string ("") as a subroutine ref while "strict refs" in use a
+t P:\test\test.pl line 13.
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---

Examine what is said, not who speaks.

"Efficiency is intelligent laziness." -David Dunham
"Think for yourself!" - Abigail
"Memory, processor, disk in that order on the hardware side. Algorithm, algorithm, algorithm on the code side." - tachyon

The only "global variable use", it *main::test, which is in use anyway and has several slots going free. And I guess obfuscated is in the eye of the beholder.

You use %main::test. That that's the same as *main::test{HASH} and *main::test{CODE} happens to be defined doesn't make it any less of a global variable. At least if you're going to go that route, do it directly

use vars qw( %test );

# ...

$test{localsub}->();
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so that strict can catch your typos. (Though it still won't catch $test{lcoalsub}, as opposed to a lexical mistyped as $lcoalsub.) The way you wrote it deprives you of protection wholly.

Makeshifts last the longest.