Well, if I make major changes to the forum software, it will be to the "test forum" I set up. It does everything any of us have asked about and more.

Perl is slow, http://attractivechaos.github.io/plb/

and falling out of favor, http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html

PDL is fast because, as you pointed out, it's NOT written in PERL.

I've bit the bullet and moved on to C++.

Regarding GOTO's, if you are using it to just jump around your code, that's a very bad programming style (spaghetti code). On the other hand, I see PERL has an additional type of GOTO which isn't a real goto at all, but is a type of function call known as a 'tail call'.

BTW, a good argument for switching to the "test forum" is because I set up a specific forum for us to discuss these computer topics. :)

Brian