Uses of std::basic_string
<p>The <code>basic_string</code> class was apparently designed as a general purpose container, as I cannot find any text-specific function in its specification except for the <code>c_str()</code> function. Just out of curiosity, have you ever used the <code>std::basic_string</code> container class for anything else than storing human-readable character data?</p>

<p>The reason I ask this is because one often has to choose between making something general or specific. The designers chose to make the <code>std::basic_string</code> class general, but I doubt it is ever used that way.</p>
