As pointed out in a followup, Real Perl Programmers prefer things to be visually distinct.
I think computer science, by and large, is still stuck in the Modern age.
Just don't create a file called '-rf.'
Think of prototypes as a funny markup language--the interpretation is left up to the rendering engine.
Let's say the docs present a simplified view of reality.
Doing linear scans over an associative array is like trying to club someone to death with a loaded Uzi.