Google C++ Style Guide. Definition: Streams are a replacement for printf() and scanf(). Pros: With streams, you do not need to know the type of the object you are printing. You do not have problems with format strings not matching the argument list. (Though with gcc, you do not have that problem with printf either.) Streams have automatic constructors and destructors that open and close the relevant files.
Cons: Streams make it difficult to do functionality like pread(). Decision: Do not use streams, except where required by a logging interface. There are various pros and cons to using streams, but in this case, as in many other cases, consistency trumps the debate. Extended Discussion There has been debate on this issue, so this explains the reasoning in greater depth. Proponents of streams have argued that streams are the obvious choice of the two, but the issue is not actually so clear.
Cout << this; // Prints the address cout << *this; // Prints the contents.
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