This is actually an interesting discussion. Let's take a look at the code for this:

# Having defined $HOME, $first, $second up above somewhere...
# Using interpolation
my $dir = "$HOME/$first/$second";

# vs. Using join
my $dir = join '/', ($HOME, $first, $second);
[download]

Personally, I find the first to be more expressive. It tells me, the reader, that you're talking about a directory structure because that's how I'm used to seeing it.

join, to me, talks about creating generic strings, usually for some cryptic file using comma-delimitation or as a way of printing out an array in a readable form.

Now, this is all personal style. I guess I'm just used to seeing it that way.

As for speed ... I haven't done the Benchmarking, but I think that interpolation might actually even be faster.

As for usability, I will agree that it's easier to manipulate a list vs. manipulating a string, but that usually doesn't really matter. Most of the time, you're manipulating said string in a recursive fashion. So, you're just adding vs. adding & subtracting (which you'd have to do if you converted the recursion to a loop).

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