Re: Perl 5.005 features

[Chip Salzenberg <chip@perlsupport.com>]

According to Michael Stone:
> The only thing [new in Perl 5.005] I've heard so far is threading,
> which AFAIK is too unstable to be in stable.

Agreed about threading.
But the list of New Stuff also includes:

  * References as thrown exceptions ('die $object', '$@->method')
  * Pseudo-hashes (fast hash-like behavior from arrays)
  * Closely related to the above: 'use fields' pragma
  * Significantly smarter regexes and the qr// quoting mechanism
  * Global keyword overriding with CORE::GLOBAL::keyword
  * Tied arrays are complete; tied handles are more complete
  * $/ can be used for fixed-length records ('$/ = \80')

And some guts things:

  * More robust embedding support (for e.g. mod_perl)
  * Numerous core dump bugs fixed, largely through the internal
    feature known as "stack of stacks"

Don't get me wrong; as the father (or at least midwife) of Perl 5.004,
I think it's a great program.  But 5.005 has much to recommend it, too.
-- 
Chip Salzenberg      - a.k.a. -      <chip@perlsupport.com>
      "When do you work?"   "Whenever I'm not busy."