=item B<PerlIO_read(f,buf,count)>, B<PerlIO_write(f,buf,count)>
-These correspond to fread() and fwrite(). Note that arguments are
-different, there is only one "count" and order has "file"
-first. Returns a byte count if successful (which may be zero or
+These correspond functionally to fread() and fwrite() but the
+arguments and return values are different. The PerlIO_read() and
+PerlIO_write() signatures have been modeled on the more sane low level
+read() and write() functions instead: The "file" argument is passed
+first, there is only one "count", and the return value can distinguish
+between error and C<EOF>.
+
+Returns a byte count if successful (which may be zero or
positive), returns negative value and sets C<errno> on error.
Depending on implementation C<errno> may be C<EINTR> if operation was
interrupted by a signal.
This corresponds to fflush(). Sends any buffered write data to the
underlying file. If called with C<NULL> this may flush all open
-streams (or core dump with some USE_STDIO implementattions). Calling
+streams (or core dump with some USE_STDIO implementations). Calling
on a handle open for read only, or on which last operation was a read
of some kind may lead to undefined behaviour on some USE_STDIO
implementations. The USE_PERLIO (layers) implementation tries to
This corresponds to fseek(). Sends buffered write data to the
underlying file, or discards any buffered read data, then positions
-the file desciptor as specified by B<offset> and B<whence> (sic).
+the file descriptor as specified by B<offset> and B<whence> (sic).
This is the correct thing to do when switching between read and write
on the same handle (see issues with PerlIO_flush() above). Offset is
of type C<Off_t> which is a perl Configure value which may not be same
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