Perl is a great tool for server-side web programming. This is the kind of stuff you use to process form data and respond intelligently to user requests. You can also write games and other kinds of applications over on the server side.

I've been interested for some time in the idea of making a certain cube puzzle of mine less taxing on my already weakened carpals (I believe that you only get tunnels when it is too late, but am not an expert on this). Many people have written applets that represent this particular puzzle. An applet is not a server-side thing, but rather a client side thing. This means that the cube puzzle program is downloaded onto your computer when you visit the page with the applet. From then on, all the work is done on your computer, even if your computer is as old and weak as mine is. Server side programs are not only less taxing on your hands than physical cubes, but also less taxing on your computer. My server-side cube will do all its work on the same machine on which this web page is stored - then send the results back to you, in the form a web page dynamically generated, on the spot, based on your inputs to an html form.

and here it is, the form: