Re: The Drivel is in the Details

[chexmix]

re:

"Why is the -> necessary in $source->{$node}"

IIRC, in the "Alpaca book" the authors make the point that this arrow is optional "between subscripty kinds of things" but NOT in a case like this.

perlreftut also states: "In between two subscripts, the arrow is optional." If you are working with an array reference, the perlreftut continues, "instead of $a[1]->[2], (you) can write $a[1][2]."