Problem solved, strict warnings are gone. Only now your code is completely and totally broken...

And you're missing my point. It's NOT to debug anything, or to change anything, or even to run the code at all. My goal is to simply examine the output that strict would generate. For example, if the main program has a "use of undefined variable" error, and I suspect that it's because of this that some other module may be stepping on it, there may be some value in finding what that other module is, and see if what it's doing accounts for the types of incorrect data results that may be generated. For example, if I am using a variable "$total" that was not defined, but when the program runs, I'm getting values from $total that don't seem right, it may be useful to know who else may be stepping on it and to see why. Sure, it may not have anything to do with MY $total... or does it? Perhaps I should have been importing $total instead of writing my own?

Granted, this was a simple example, but in a bigger and far more involved and intricate system, this kind of sleuthing just may be what the doctor ordered.

One cannot make sweeping statements like "it's pointless to force use strict on other modules if the bug lies in your own code" because context is very important here. Being aware of your neighborhood is just as important as taking care of your own backyard.