lets confirm what a "file pointer" is. You say "open that file right there" PHP/perl say "what do you mean?" So, step by step, you do this: perl, see that file there? Yer going to be playing with that. Perl/php see that now.. you pointed out the file. file pointer. in perl, thats: open(IN,"filename") where IN is the file pointer. In PHP thats: $IN = fopen("filename"); where $IN is the file pointer. NOW you say open that file in perl, thats: $file = join('',) in php, thats: $file = join('',$IN); Get it? A File pointer isn't the file itself, just a POINTER to the file. :)