When you try running Perl-5.8.6 with a -f (which isn't valid), you'll see > perl -f Unrecognized switch: -f (-h will show valid options).
When currently running blead, Perl waits patiently for STDIN, even though not compiled to do site customization. The following patch makes all the -f related code fully dependent on USE_SITECUSTOMIZE. It also quiets a warning on the noisy aCC compiler on HP-UX. Steve Peters [EMAIL PROTECTED]
--- perl.c.old Tue Jun 14 04:20:15 2005 +++ perl.c Wed Jun 15 09:28:56 2005 @@ -1282,7 +1282,9 @@ register SV *sv; register char *s; const char *cddir = Nullch; +#ifdef USE_SITECUSTOMIZE bool minus_f = FALSE; +#endif PL_fdscript = -1; PL_suidscript = -1; @@ -1376,11 +1378,13 @@ sv_catpv(PL_e_script, "\n"); break; +#ifdef USE_SITECUSTOMIZE case 'f': minus_f = TRUE; s++; goto reswitch; +#endif case 'I': /* -I handled both here and in moreswitches() */ forbid_setid("-I"); if (!*++s && (s=argv[1]) != Nullch) {