And just to make it clear that dynamically typed languages have it all over statically typed languages, here's an ST in python to guarantee a stable sort:

def stable_sort(some_list, indices=xrange(sys.maxint)):
    decorated = zip(list,indices)
    decorated.sort
    return [item for item, index in decorated]

[download]

In fact, in the Python Cookbook, this is even referred to as a Schwartzian Transform.

Cheers,
Ovid

New address of my CGI Course.
Silence is Evil (feel free to copy and distribute widely - note copyright text)

In reply to Re: (OT) The Schwartzian Transform in Java by Ovid
in thread (OT) The Schwartzian Transform in Java by djantzen

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