$a = $b or $c; # bug: this is wrong ($a = $b) or $c; # really means this $a = $b || $c; # better written this way #### @info = stat($file) || die; # oops, scalar sense of stat! @info = stat($file) or die; # better, now @info gets its due #### open INFO, "< datafile" or die "can't open datafile: $!";