Is this function pure?

[Lutger]

Janice Caron wrote:
> Is this function pure?
> 
> int probablyNotPure(int x)
> {
> 	try
> 	{
> 		char[] a = new char[x];
> 		return a.length;
> 	}
> 	catch
> 	{
> 		return 0;
> 	}
> }
> 
> I must assume not, since it's not deterministic. But which part of it
> wrong? Should "new" be forbidden? Or is "try/catch"? Or both?

Putting what the compiler can check aside, isn't it the return statement 
in the catch block what prevents this function from being pure, or 
referentially transparent?