global

Something you can see from anywhere, usually used of variables and subroutines that are visible everywhere in your program. In Perl, only certain special variables are truly global--most variables (and all subroutines) exist only in the current "package". Global variables can be declared with our. See "our" in perlfunc.

Pertaining to, or involving, the entire world. 2. Pertaining to that which is defined in one subsection of an entity and used in at least one other subsection of the same entity. 3. In computer, data processing, and communications systems, pertaining to what is applicable to an area beyond the immediate area of consideration. Note: Examples of global entities are (a) in computer programming, an entity that is defined in one subdivision of a computer program and used in at least one other subdivision of that program and (b) in personal computer systems and their software packages, a setting, definition, or condition that applies to the entire software system. [From Weik '89]