On (13 Aug 97) Thomas Maeder wrote to Jerry Coffin...
 TM> The member/base  initialization  list  syntax  can  only  be  used  in
 TM> constructors.
Oops - quite right.
 JC>     int mode() {
 JC>         return mode_;
 JC>     }
 TM> Better declare this method const.
Twouldn't hurt, but then again, I'm not sure I've ever seen a const
stream, so I doubt it makes any real difference.  If you did somehow
have a const stream, about ALL you'd be able to do with it would be get
its mode, and perhaps flags and such.  You obviously wouldn't be able to
read/write it, and a stream you can't read or write seems awfully close
to useless at first glance.
    Later,
    Jerry.
... The Universe is a figment of its own imagination.
--- PPoint 1.90
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