[Haskell-cafe] invalid character encoding

[Keean Schupke]

One thing I don't like about this automatic conversion is that it is 
hidden magic - and could catch people out. Let's say I don't want to use 
it... How can I do the following
(ie what are the new API calls):

    Open a file with a name that is invalid in the current locale (say a 
zip disc from a computer with a different locale setting).

    Open a file with contents in an unknown encoding.

    What are the new binary API calls for file IO?

    What type is returned from 'getChar' on a binary file. Should it 
even be called getChar? what about getWord8 (getWord16, getWord32 etc...)

    Does the encoding translation occur just on the filename or the 
contents as well? What if I have an encoded filename with binary 
contents and vice-versa.

    Keean.

(I guess I now have to rewrite a lot of file IO code!)