And user-defined prototypes that change when the argument list of a function ends, that is. If we forced the argument list for all functions to have parens (including empty parens for argument less functions), then we'd be OK, I'm fairly certain.All the handwaving in the world won't fix this. As long as we have dual-natured characters like /, and user-defined prototypes, Perl cannot be lexed without also parsing, and therefore without also running BEGIN blocks.
For that matter, if we stick to declaration syntax for declarations, and not BEGIN blocks and reflection, then we're OK -- you have to do some execution, but of a minilanguage that can't express concepts that you wouldn't be OK running... though you do still have to descend through require/use, and thus have to have the files being required or used (or at least a description of their declarations).
-=- James Mastros,
theorbtwo
