note Mabooka-Mabooka <h2> Perl allows to use arithmetics on string </h2> Here's the code: <code> #!/usr/local/bin/perl -w use strict; sub step_over_desert # () I won't repeat this mistake anymore!!! { print "Tsock...\n"; } sub cover_the_distance # () I won't repeat this mistake anymore!!! { my ($me, $desert_width, $max_spit_distance, $num_legs, $last_name, $day_phone, $days_without_water) = @_; my $num_steps=0; while($desert_width) { my $todo = $desert_width * $num_legs; print "$desert_width miles remaining; $todo steps yet to do.\n"; step_over_desert(); $desert_width--; $num_steps += $num_legs; } print "Steps made: $num_steps\n"; } #cover_the_distance("strong animal", 5, 15, 4, "Mabooka", "(123)-456-7890", -1); cover_the_distance("strong animal", "five thousand miles", 15, 4, "Mabooka", "(123)-456-7890", -1); 1; </code> <h3> Don't try it at home</h3> Well, I recommend at the very least to redirect the output to a file:-). <h3> Why people do this?</h3> Again, the main reason: because it allows you. One may expect either a compile-time error or a run-time exception. But Perl allows you to shoot your own foot. <br>Actually, this is an obfuscated (starting to love the word) code from a real-life app. The real application would send a query over the wire to the server, <br>get a responce line -- <br>-- that should look smth. like this: <br> 200 OK 578 <br>-- meaning " there're 578 lines yet to read from the socket, <br> parse this line and create a loop: <code> while($numlines) { get_next_one(...); $numlines--; ... } </code> Well guess what? Once in 10000 times the server would get tired and send a garbled status line -- smth. like:<br> <code> 200 OK whatever,man </code> and <code> (while "whatever,man"--) {....} </code> will start the almost infinite loop. (Try the code above). <br> <h3>Solution</h3> Be aware. <br>use int($n). <br>Ask your new hires during the inteview: "What is the result of the following operation: <code> "Larry"--; </code> -?. <br> 46769 448568