STYLE GUIDE

* make scope as local as possible
  - use (static) class attributes rather than global variables
  - import names into functions rather than into global scope

* identifiers - use CamelCase
  - names of classes start with upper case: MyClass
  - if renaming a type with typedef, new type starts with upper case
  - names of functions (both standalone and methods) start with lower case
    ex.: myVar, myFunc()
  - do not upperase global constants or enums:
    // const int MY_CONST=2; <-- is bad
  - use trailing underscore for member variable names (to distinguish them from
    local vars and parameters in member functions): myMemberVar_

* declare variables at the point where they are first needed

* avoid standalone functions besides main()

* use default parameter values to minimize the number of overloaded
  function declarations/definitions

* access modifier in class definitions should be in this order (i.e. interface first,
  implementation last):

  	 public:
  	 protected:
	 private:

* define accessors (queries) with trailing "const"

* for constructors, use member initialization lists rather than
  in-body assignments

* make destructors of base classes virtual, create a virtual
  destructor for every abstract class

* never redefine an inherited non-virtual function: pointer to
  base class will use the base-classs function

* use !=containr.end() rather than <containr.end() even
  with sequential containers

* use prefix form of the increment

* do not use funcname(void)  this includes int main(void)
  use funcname() and int main() instead

* use enum classes rather than straight enums
  enum class Gender {Male, Female};
  // rather than: enum Gender {Male, Female};

* use nullptr rather than 0 or NULL to signify uninitialized pointer