Here's the last few lines I get when I try to compile xchat:

perl.c: In function `perl_end':
perl.c:1089: warning: implicit declaration of function `perl_destruct'
perl.c:1090: warning: implicit declaration of function `perl_free'
make[3]: *** [perl.lo] Error 1
make[3]: Leaving directory `/root/xchat-2.0.1/plugins/perl'
make[2]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/xchat-2.0.1/plugins'
make[1]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/xchat-2.0.1'

Yikes.. I am clueless as to what's wrong.. I had installed xchat before (with alot of problems), but now I really have no idea what I'm doing wrong?
Any help would be greatly appreciated! Please bear in mind I'm a newbie and need a simplified explanation of what to do
Thanks in advance!

It's me "hex".. maybe this will help:
When I try to configure I get this:

xchat 2.0.1

Building GTK+ Interface .... : yes
Building TEXT Interface .... : yes

PLUGINS: Perl: yes Python: no TCL: yes

mmx tinting ......... : yes
plugin interface .... : yes nls/gettext ......... : yes
link with socks5 .... : no text backend ........ : pango
openssl support ..... : no ipv6 support ........ : no

The binary will be installed in /usr/local/bin

Then I "make and pray" and still get the errors in my previous post. I'm at a loss Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Sounds like your Perl headers are the wrong version. Do

./configure --help

and look through the options for the Perl switch, you should be able to run something like

./configure --disable-perl

to switch off support for perl plugins (you don't want them anyway most likely)

thanks for your reply mhearn.. I found this when trying to install:

perl.c:116:20: EXTERN.h: No such file or directory
perl.c:118:18: perl.h: No such file or directory
perl.c:119:18: XSUB.h: No such file or directory
perl.c:122: parse error before '*' token
perl.c:122: warning: type defaults to `int' in declaration of `my_perl'
perl.c:122: warning: data definition has no type or storage class
perl.c:128: parse error before "CV"
perl.c: In function `execute_perl':

Then I read somewhere over the net someone experiencing this same problem

http://www.rice.edu/perl4lib/archive.../msg00058.html

Apparently there's a problem with the perl package that comes with mandrake? A file called perl.h or something is missing.. how do I go about fixing this? Any ideas anyone?

Well, this update: I did what you suggested mhearn, and finally installed xchat but I would still like to understand why I don't have the .h files mentioned above please?

You probably need to install the perl-devel packages

You were totally right Mike.. I was missing the perl and python packages.. installed everything and everything's working perfectly. Thanks!!