HP-UX 11i September 2005 Release Notes

Libraries and Programming
Perl
Chapter 10
161
Perl
Perl is a high-level programming language created and enhanced by the Open Source
community. Perl takes the best features from other languages, such as C, awk, sed, sh,
and BASIC, among others, and at least a dozen other tools and languages. The version
that is submitted is 5.8.3 build 809.
Summary of Change
Perl 5.8.3 build 809 corresponds to the Perl 5.8.3 source code release and includes the
following:
• Better Unicode support
• New IO implementation
• New thread implementation
• Better numeric accuracy
• Safe Signals
• Many new modules
• More extensive regression testing
Significant changes that have occurred in the 5.8.3 build 809 release are documented in
perldelta. This document can be viewed by entering man perldelta.
Impact
There are no impacts other than those listed previously.
Compatibility
Perl 5.8 is not binary compatible with earlier releases of Perl. for XS modules. These
modules have to recompiled. (Pure Perl modules should continue to work.) The major
reason for the discontinuity is the new IO architecture called PerlIO. PerlIO is the
default configuration because without it, many new features of Perl 5.8 cannot be used.
In other words: you just have to recompile your modules containing XS code.
Performance
There are no known performance issues.
Documentation
For further information, refer to the perldelta manpage and to the following Web sites:
• http://www.perl.org
• http://www.activestate.com
• http://learn.perl.org