I've recently updated the performance section of a comparison between the Boost Serialization library and the C++ Middleware Writer -- http://webEbenezer.net/comparison.html#perf<http://webebenezer.net/comparison.html#perf>. The new tests were done on Fedora 12 and Windows Vista. The previous version of that file is here http://webEbenezer.net/comp138.html#perf<http://webebenezer.net/comp138.html#perf>. The most dramatic change occurred on Windows. Previously the Boost versions were around 2.7 times slower than the Ebenezer versions. Now they are between 3.8 and 4.0 times slower than the Ebenezer versions. I believe that difference is due to our dropping return codes for exceptions. I'm not sure why it shows up more on Windows than on Linux. Cheers, Brian Wood Ebenezer Enterprises http://www.webEbenezer.net "When a man's ways please the L-RD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him." Proverbs 16:7