How to Obtain Perl

Here are step by step instructions to obtain Perl. You will either need a high speed (DSL, Cable Modem, or other Broadband internet connection or a lot of patience if you just have dial-up.). At the moment, I have only provided the instructions for obtain Perl when you have a Windows or Windows-like computer. I hope to add the instructions for a Mac and/or for Unix or Linux at some point in the future.

For Windows or Windows-like Computers

These step-by-step instructions worked as of November 2003. It may be that they fail in the future do to changes in the way Perl is provided. Hopefully, though, with these specifics available, you should be able to adapt to whatever the future holds.

Open up your web browser and go to the address http://www.perl.org

A window will appear. In the upper left corner of the screen it will say "download Perl" just under the indication of the current release which at this point in time is 5.8.2.
Click on "download Perl".

In the center of the window which comes up ("Get Perl"), there will be a line that says "Download Perl Distributions".
Click on the one that says "ActivePerl for Windows, Solaris, and Linux.

The Window that comes up will say "Active State" at the top. In the upper left corner, there will be a block that says "Download" with a down arrow next to it.
Click on "Download".

In the register block, either fill in your e-mail address and first and last name or don't if you don't want to.
Click on Next.

Over on the right side of the window that comes up, find the paragraph that says "Windows Installer 2.0+ is required for Windows."
Click on the text near the above that says "download for 9x/Me.

When you do that, a dialog box will come up that will want to download a file called InstMsiA.
Click Save.

The file will be saved.
Double click on the saved file or launch the file in whatever way you traditionally launch downloaded executable files.

At some point, there may be a warning about being careful about running programs you have downloaded. You should always stop and think whether or not you trust the site from which you downloaded the program you are about to run. If you do, go ahead. If you don't, don't. In the case of ActiveState, it is likely that you can trust the site. But only you know how precious the files are on your computer, how easily replaceable they are, how backed up they are. It is your responsibility to think about these things and make your own decision.
Run the saved file. This will install an Installer.
Reboot your computer when the installation is finished.

When your computer comes back up, establish your connection to the internet and go through Step 1 through Step 6 again.
Now, instead of finding "Windows Installer 2.0+..." as you did in Step 6, find the spot halfway down the page in the block that says "ActivePerl 5.8.1 build 807. Right next to it will be a line that says "Windows MSI 12.4 MB".
Click on the MSI to download the indicated version of Perl using the MSI installer.

A box will open up indicating that you should save to disk the file known as:

"ActivePerl-5.8.1.807-MSWin32-x86.msi"

Click OK to save the file to disk.
As above, think about all the issues concerning running downloaded programs. When you are convinced that you trust the source from which you downloaded the program, run the program you just saved by double clicking on it or by whatever means you usually use.

There will be a selection box to give you a set of options about what to download. It is somewhat confusing the first time you encounter it. You should probably be able to just take the defaults. By default, the "Perl" box should be selected. All the sub-products below that Perl box will be installed.
Do what it says to install Perl.

It will take some time (15 minutes maybe on a typical broadband connection to the internet.
When it is done, it will likely instruct you to reboot. Do so.
To test, use Notepad to write a perl program with text as follows:
```
print "hello, world";
$N = <STDIN>;
```
Make sure you have included the semi-colons in the file above at the end of the Perl line.
Save this file with a name "test.pl".

Look in a Window that shows the list of files in the directory where you saved the file. You should see the "test.pl" file there. The icon next to the "test.pl" name should be that of a little yellow ball (which means that your computer recognizes it as a Perl program and also means that you successfully installed Perl).

If the file is not there, then possibly you saved it in a different place or you are looking in the wrong place.

If the icon next to "test.pl" is not that of a little yellow ball, then something went wrong with the installation or you forgot to reboot.

In that case, go back and review the steps listed above. Try to figure out if you skipped a step or what went wrong. If you can't figure out what went wrong (or even if you can), try re-doing the steps. If that still does not work, then you will have to find an expert and ask that person for help.
Assuming everything worked, double click on the yellow ball to run the Perl program.

It will bring up a window with a background that is usually black. In the window, the words "hello, world" will appear and a blinking cursor will be just after the "d" in "world".
Press enter to end the program and close the window.

You have run your first Perl Program.
To change the program, right click on the yellow ball to make a menu of options appear. Take the "SendTo" option and select "Notepad". That will bring up Notepad with the text of your program. Make your desired changes, save and double click the little yellow ball icon to run the program again.
Now, do the first lesson in Pearls of Perl.

To obtain more information (but at a more technical level than Pearls of Perl), go to Start -> Programs -> Active State Active Perl and choose "Documentation". This will bring up additional documentation via your web browser.