Reading preferences

[James Reynolds]

In BASH, it is really easy to "read" preferences.  For example, in 
Mac OS X's /etc/rc startup script, it includes a file like so:

. /etc/rc.common

This file also includes /etc/hostconfig like so:

. /etc/hostconfig

So all startup items have access to the variables in /etc/hostconfig like:

SSHSERVER=-YES-
WEBSERVER=-YES-
My question is, can something similar be done in perl?  Or do I have 
to open, read, parse, then close the preference file?

--

Thanks,

James Reynolds
University of Utah
Student Computing Labs
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
801-585-9811