title: Cross platform programming question (file I/O)
body: <p>I have a C++ class that looks a bit like this:</p>
  
  <pre><code>class BinaryStream : private std::iostream
  {
      public:
          explicit BinaryStream(const std::string&amp; file_name);
          bool read();
          bool write();
  
      private:
          Header m_hdr;
          std::vector&lt;Row&gt; m_rows;        
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This class reads and writes data in a binary format, to disk. I am not using any platform specific coding - relying instead on the STL. I have succesfully compiled on XP. I am wondering if I can FTP the files written on the XP platform and read them on my Linux machine (once I recompile the binary stream library on Linux). </p>
  
  <p>Summary:</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>Files created on Xp machine using a cross platform library coompiled for XP. </li>
  <li>Compile the same library (used in 1 above) on a Linux machine</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>Question: Can files created in 1 above, be read on a Linux machine (2) ?</p>
  
  <p>If no, please explain why not, and how I may get around this issue.</p>