According to [EMAIL PROTECTED]: > So how many stores do we expect for > ($a = "xxx") =~ s/a/b/g > and which of the possible answers would be more useful?
I think it depends on C<($a = "aaa") =~ s/a/b/g>. * If the s/// operator stores once after all substitutions, then having it alway store whether the subst happened or not makes sense. "One = one STORE; one =~ one STORE." * If the s/// operator stores once for each match/subst, then if no matches happen then no STOREs happen. Minimal stores are also relevant for this oddity: ($a = "aaa") =~ s{a} { $x++ ? substr($a,0,1) : 'b' }e; Now, should that produce "bbb" or "baa"? I favor "baa", because I think minimal stores are too important to compromise them just for this bizarre use case. -- Chip Salzenberg - a.k.a. - <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> "Persistence in one opinion has never been considered a merit in political leaders." --Marcus Tullius Cicero