class Any {
public:

    // Types passed by value are easy
    void operator <<= (Any &, Short);
    Boolean operator >>= (const Any &, Short &);
    ...

    // Types passed by reference introduce ownership issues
    void operator <<= (Any &, const Any &);
    void operator <<= (Any &, Any *);
    ...

    // Types where overloading fails introduce resolution issues
    struct from_boolean { from_boolean (Boolean b) : val (b) { } Boolean val; };
    struct from_octet { from_octet (Octet o) : val (o) { } Octet val; };
    struct from_char { from_char (Char c) : val (c) { } Char val; };
    ...

    void operator <<= (from_boolean);
    void operator <<= (from_octet);
    void operator <<= (from_char);
    ...

    struct to_boolean { to_boolean (Boolean &b) : ref (b) { } Boolean &ref; };
    ...

    Boolean operator >>= (to_boolean) const;
    ...

private:

    // Private operators can detect resolution issues
    unsigned char void operator <<= (unsigned char);
    Boolean operator >>= (unsigned char &) const;
}