Even if you could use Perl, Tripod doesn’t support the chmod of its files so they can be written to. The only use for the cgi-bin is really just for your own e-mail cgi script.
You can use Bravenet to make an html guestbook. All the cgi is on their side, so it is perfect for tripod users.
Not to advertise or anything, but you should also check out some of their other features, they came in handy for certain things I wanted to do when I was on tripod. Especially the Site Stats.
That is the guestbook. I said “not to advertise or anything” meaning, I wasn’t trying to advertise their site.
That big blue BraveNet Web Services image in there can be change to your own title image. You have to log into their site and change it there. I have never used the guestbook, so I am not exactly sure how to edit it, I just know you can.
I think pretty much everything you need to know about how to change it is said in the first entry that they put in there for you.
The sponsorship ad at the top, unfortunately, cannot be changed.