brokaddr - 5:57 pm on Jun 22, 2012 (gmt 0)

Yes it does:
function tep_db_connect($server = DB_SERVER, $username = DB_SERVER_USERNAME, $password = DB_SERVER_PASSWORD, $database = DB_DATABASE, $link = 'db_link') {
global $$link;

if (USE_PCONNECT == 'true') {
$$link = mysql_pconnect($server, $username, $password);
} else {
$$link = mysql_connect($server, $username, $password);
}

if ($$link) mysql_select_db($database);

return $$link;
}

I did not write this portion (it's an opensource script) so I can't be certain as to why they used the $$.
I will try to rewrite the bits without, and see if there's any success.

Update: Changing $$link to $link didn't do anything, the same errors still surface.