Written for programmers with a background in C or C++, this book outlines what is similar and different between Perl and C/C++ and explains how to use Perl to the fullest. Coverage includes arrays, hashes and complex data structures, advanced I/O, creating GUIs with Tk, and creating modules. A cookbook section contains "recipes" for common tasks, and appendices give instructions on installing Perl and turning Perl scripts into commands. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)