IO system

[naudts guido]

Hallo,

Take following function:

f::Array Int Char -> (Array Int Char, Char)
f array = (array1, c)
   where c = array!1
         array1 = array//[(2,'b')]

and also following function:
f::Direct_access_file -> (Direct_access_file, Char) 
f daf = (daf1, c)
   where c = getnext daf
         daf1 = set 2 'b'

with a hypothetical format for the direct access file.
Now I can certainly implement the first function in
Haskell but not the second.
Now the only difference between the two functions is
the location of the data: in the first the data of the
array are in RAM, in the second the data of the direct
access file are on disk. There is no other difference.
As far as referential integrity is concerened I don't
see any difference too. 
So why can I implement the first function and not the
second (well I can use direct access files but I have
to change the type of my function.The problem is: 
I do not see why the location of data should have an
influence here.
Greetings,




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