Getting and Installing Perl

New versions of Perl are released on the Internet and distributed to Web sites and ftp archives across the world. UNIX binaries are generally not made available on the Internet, as it is generally better to build Perl on your system so that you can be certain it will work. All UNIX systems have a C compiler, after all.

Each operating system has its own way of getting and installing Perl.

For UNIX and OS/2

-- The Perl Home Page contains a software link (http://www.perl.com/perl/info/software.html) that will enable you to download the latest Perl source code. The page also explains why Perl binaries are not available. Hopefully, your system will already have Perl installed. If not, try to get your system administrator to install it.

For Windows 95/Windows NT

-The home page of hip communications, inc. (http://www.perl.hip.com) contains a link to download the i86 Release Binary. This link lets you download a zip file that contains the Perl files in compressed form. CD-ROM copiess are freely distributed with many Perl books and also on CDROM: for example, Perl - Walnut Greek CD-ROM

For Macintosh Computers

-- MacPerl is a ported version of Perl with a basic but very useable User Interface.It is available from

http://www.iis.ee.ethz.ch/ neeri/macintosh/perlman/perl_toc.html,

http://www.unimelb.edu.au/ ssilcot/macperl-primer/.

It also comes on CD-ROM with many Perl Books

Instructions for compiling Perl or for installing on each operating system are included with the distribution files. Follow the instructions provided and you should having a working Perl installation rather quickly.