title: How can I execute an external Windows command and instantly return in Perl?
body: <p>I've tried using system() with fork(), tried exec(), and am still not getting what I need.</p>
  
  <p>I want to write a Perl script which executes, let's say, a different Perl script five times in a row (sending it different parameter values), but I have it run concurrently. I realize I could turn my script into a .pm file and reference it, but I'd prefer to keep the child script independent of the parent...</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>system() works, but executes the
  commands consecutively (makes sense
  per documentation)</li>
  <li>exec() doesn’t work - it only executes
  the first method (makes sense per
  doc)</li>
  <li>I added a fork() to the child Perl
  script and then tried using system()</li>
  <li>this did not work either.</li>
  <li>backtick command ' documents says it
  works the same as system()...</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>Isn't there a simple way in Perl (I'm using Windows&nbsp;XP) to execute a process, and not care about the return values or anything and just continue on into the next line of the parent script?</p>