Iterators: Would "rewind" be a good idea?

[Roy Smith]

Edward Elliott <nobody at 127.0.0.1> wrote:
> This is why the C++ STL has independent forward and backward iterator types.

Let me see if I can paraphrase the difference between the Python design 
philosophy and the C++ design philosophy about most things.  Python says, 
"Let's make things simple enough that it can be explained fully in a couple 
of paragraphs, even if it means there are some things you can't do".  C++ 
says, "Let's make it possible to do anything, even if it makes it 
complicated enough that it takes a shelf full of books to explain it all".

There may be value in restartable iterators, but comparing what we've got 
now to STL isn't the way to convince people it's a good idea :-)