Re: my Dog $spot;

[TedYoung]

Well, the reason why attributes::import is not called in a statement like my Dog $spot is because IIRC the syntax my Class $var was originally created for things like compile-time field checking of psuedohashes. The attribute thing came later.

[leriksen]

My first "A-ha!" moment of the morning - I have some old code I maintain that does exactly that my Dog $spot; thing, and has pseudo-hashes - now I know the reason ! - I always thought it was because the original author of the code was a Java programmer feeling homesick...