diff --git a/eo/test/fitness_traits.cpp b/eo/test/fitness_traits.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4fad95c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/eo/test/fitness_traits.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,429 @@
+#include <map> // for pair
+#include <iostream>
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <vector>
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <math.h> // for exp
+
+using namespace std;
+
+/* fitness_traits.h */
+
+// default traits: defaults to a double that needs to be maximized
+template <class T = double>
+struct fitness_traits
+{
+  // Needs mapping can be used to figure out whether you need to do fitness scaling (or not)
+  const static bool needs_mapping               = false;
+
+  // storage_type: what to store next to the genotype
+  typedef T storage_type;
+
+  // performance_type: what the eoEvalFunc calculates
+  typedef T performance_type;
+
+  // worth_type: what the scaling function does
+  typedef T worth_type;
+
+  // access_performance: how to get from what is stored to a mutable performance
+  static performance_type& access_performance(storage_type& a) { return a; }
+
+  // access_worth: how to get from what is stored to a mutable worth
+  static worth_type&       access_worth(storage_type& a)       { return a; }
+
+  // get_performance: from storage_type to a performance figure
+  static performance_type  get_performance(storage_type a) { return a; }
+
+  // get_worth: from storage_type to a worth figure
+  static worth_type        get_worth(storage_type a)       { return a; }
+
+  // get the fitness out of the individual
+  template <class EOT>
+  static worth_type    get_fitness(const EOT& _eo)       { return _eo.performance(); }
+
+  // compare the two individuals
+  template <class EOT>
+  static bool is_better(const EOT& _eo1, const EOT& _eo2)
+  {
+    return _eo1.performance() > _eo2.performance();
+  }
+};
+
+struct minimization {};
+struct maximization {};
+
+struct fitness_traits<minimization> : public fitness_traits<double>
+{
+  // for minimization, invert the is_better
+  template <class EOT>
+  static bool is_better(const EOT& _eo1, const EOT& _eo2)
+  {
+    return _eo1.performance() < _eo2.performance();
+  }
+};
+
+// for maximization, just take the default behaviour
+struct fitness_traits<maximization> : public fitness_traits<double> {};
+
+// forward declaration
+//template <class EOT> class eoPop;
+//template <class Fitness, class Traits> class EO;
+
+// unfortunately, partial template specialization is not approved by Microsoft (though ANSI says it's ok)
+// Probably need some macro-magic to make this work (MicroSoft == MacroHard)
+// A pair class: first == performance, second == worth, redefine all types, data and functions
+template <class Performance, class Worth>
+struct fitness_traits< pair<Performance, Worth> >
+{
+  typedef pair<Performance, Worth> storage_type;
+  typedef Performance performance_type;
+  typedef Worth       worth_type;
+
+  const static bool needs_mapping = true;
+
+  static performance_type& access_performance(storage_type& a)     { return a.first; }
+  static worth_type&       access_worth(storage_type& a)           { return a.second; }
+
+  static performance_type get_performance(const storage_type& a)     { return a.first; }
+  static worth_type       get_worth(const storage_type& a)           { return a.second; }
+
+  // This function calls _eo.worth() which in turn checks the fitness flag and calls get_worth above
+  // The compiler should be able to inline all these calls and come up with a very compact solution
+  template <class EOT>
+  static worth_type    get_fitness(const EOT& _eo) { return _eo.worth(); }
+
+  template <class EOT>
+  static bool is_better(const EOT& _eo1, const EOT& _eo2)
+  {
+    return _eo1.worth() > _eo2.worth();
+  }
+};
+
+/* end fitness_traits.h */
+
+/* EO.h */
+
+template <class Fitness, class Traits = fitness_traits<Fitness> >
+class EO
+{
+public :
+
+  typedef Traits                            fitness_traits;
+  typedef typename Traits::storage_type     storage_type;
+  typedef typename Traits::performance_type performance_type;
+  typedef typename Traits::worth_type       worth_type;
+
+  EO() : valid_performance(false), valid_worth(false), rep_fitness() {}
+
+  // for backwards compatibility
+  void fitness(performance_type perf)
+  {
+    performance(perf);
+  }
+
+  void performance(performance_type perf)
+  {
+    valid_performance = true;
+    Traits::access_performance(rep_fitness) = perf;
+  }
+
+  performance_type performance(void) const
+  {
+    if(!valid_performance) throw runtime_error("no performance");
+    return Traits::get_performance(rep_fitness);
+  }
+
+  void worth(worth_type worth)
+  {
+    valid_worth = true;
+    Traits::access_worth(rep_fitness) = worth;
+  }
+
+  worth_type worth(void) const
+  {
+    if(!valid_worth)  throw runtime_error("no worth");
+    if(!Traits::needs_mapping)  throw runtime_error("no mapping");
+    return Traits::get_worth(rep_fitness);
+  }
+
+  worth_type fitness(void) const
+  {
+    return Traits::get_fitness(*this);
+  }
+
+  void invalidate(void)
+  {
+    valid_performance = false;
+    valid_worth = false;
+  }
+
+  void invalidate_worth(void)
+  {
+    valid_worth = false;
+  }
+
+  bool operator<(const EO<Fitness, Traits>& other) const
+  {
+    return !Traits::is_better(other, *this);
+  }
+
+  bool operator>(const EO<Fitness, Traits>& other) const
+  {
+    return Traits::is_better(other, *this);
+  }
+
+  private :
+
+  bool valid_performance;
+  bool valid_worth;
+  storage_type rep_fitness;
+};
+
+/* end EO.h */
+
+/* eoPerf2Worth.h */
+
+// get the name known
+template <class EOT> class eoPop;
+
+template <class EOT>
+void exponential_scaling(eoPop<EOT>& _pop)
+{
+    for (unsigned i = 0; i < _pop.size(); ++i)
+    { // change minimimization into maximization
+      _pop[i].worth(exp(-_pop[i].performance()));
+    }
+}
+
+template <class EOT>
+class eoPerf2Worth /* : public eoUF<eoPop<EOT>&, void> */
+{
+public :
+  virtual void operator()(eoPop<EOT>& _pop)
+  {
+    return exponential_scaling(_pop);
+  }
+};
+
+/* end eoPerf2Worth.h */
+
+
+/* eoPop.h */
+
+template <class EOT>
+class eoPop : public vector<EOT>
+{
+public :
+
+  typedef typename EOT::fitness_traits fitness_traits;
+
+  eoPop(void) : p2w(0) {}
+
+  void sort()
+  {
+    scale(); // get the worths up to date
+
+    std::sort(begin(), end(), greater<EOT>());
+  }
+
+  void scale()
+  {
+    if (p2w)
+    {
+      if (!fitness_traits::needs_mapping)
+      {
+        throw runtime_error("eoPop: no scaling needed, yet a scaling function is defined");
+      }
+
+      (*p2w)(*this);
+    }
+    else if (fitness_traits::needs_mapping)
+    {
+      throw runtime_error("eoPop: no scaling function attached to the population, while one was certainly called for");
+    }
+  }
+
+  void setPerf2Worth(eoPerf2Worth<EOT>& _p2w)
+  {
+    p2w = &_p2w;
+  }
+
+  void setPerf2Worth(eoPerf2Worth<EOT>* _p2w)
+  {
+    p2w = _p2w;
+  }
+
+  eoPerf2Worth<EOT>* getPerf2Worth() { return p2w; }
+
+  void swap(eoPop<EOT>& other)
+  {
+    vector<EOT>::swap(other);
+    eoPerf2Worth<EOT>* tmp = p2w;
+    p2w = other.p2w;
+    other.p2w = tmp;
+  }
+
+private :
+
+  // a pointer as it can be emtpy
+  eoPerf2Worth<EOT>* p2w;
+};
+
+// need this one to be able to swap the members as well...
+template <class EOT>
+void swap(eoPop<EOT>& _p1, eoPop<EOT>& _p2)
+{
+  _p1.swap(_p2);
+}
+
+/* end eoPop.h */
+
+/* main and test */
+
+template <class EOT>
+void algo(eoPop<EOT>& _pop)
+{
+  eoPop<EOT> offspring;                          // how to get the scaling info into this guy??
+  offspring.setPerf2Worth(_pop.getPerf2Worth()); // like this!
+
+  copy(_pop.begin(), _pop.end(), back_inserter(offspring));
+
+  offspring.sort(); // should call scale
+
+  swap(_pop, offspring);
+}
+
+void minimization_test()
+{
+  typedef EO<minimization> eo_type;
+
+  eo_type eo1;
+  eo_type eo2;
+
+  eo1.performance(1.0);
+  eo2.performance(2.0);
+
+  cout << "With minimizing fitness" << endl;
+  cout << eo1.fitness() << " < " << eo2.fitness() << " returns " << (eo1 < eo2) << endl;
+  cout << eo2.fitness() << " < " << eo1.fitness() << " returns " << (eo2 < eo1) << endl;
+}
+
+void the_main()
+{
+  typedef EO<double> simple_eo;
+  typedef EO<pair<double, double> > scaled_eo;
+
+  simple_eo eo1;
+  simple_eo eo3;
+
+/* First test some simple comparisons */
+
+  eo1.fitness(10); // could also use performance()
+  eo3.fitness(5);
+
+  cout << eo1.fitness() << endl;
+  cout << eo3.fitness() << endl;
+
+  cout << "eo1 < eo3 = " << (eo1 < eo3) << endl;
+
+
+  scaled_eo eo2;
+  scaled_eo eo4;
+  eo2.performance(10);
+  eo4.performance(8);
+
+/* Now test if the worth gets accessed and if the flag protects it */
+
+  try
+  {
+    cout << eo2.fitness() << endl;
+    cout << "did not throw" << endl;
+    assert(false); // should throw
+  }
+  catch(exception& e)
+  {
+    cout << "Fitness threw exception, as it should" << endl;
+    cout << e.what() << endl;
+  }
+
+/* Set the worth and all is well (this is normally done by some perf2worth functor */
+
+  eo2.worth(3);
+  eo4.worth(5);
+
+  cout << "with maximization " << endl;
+  cout << eo2.fitness() << endl;
+  cout << eo4.fitness() << endl;
+  cout << eo2.fitness() << " < " << eo4.fitness() << " returns " << (eo2 < eo4) << endl;
+
+/* Test the minimization of fitness */
+  minimization_test();
+
+
+/* Populations */
+
+// test pop without scaling, should have no overhead save for a single empty pointer in pop
+  eoPop<simple_eo> pop0;
+  pop0.resize(1);
+  pop0[0].fitness(1);
+
+  algo(pop0);
+
+  cout << pop0[0].fitness() << endl;
+
+  assert(pop0[0].fitness() == 1);
+
+/* test pop with scaling */
+
+  eoPerf2Worth<scaled_eo> perf2worth;
+  eoPop<scaled_eo> pop1;
+
+  pop1.resize(1);
+
+  pop1[0].fitness(1.0); // emulate evaluation
+
+    // at this point getting the fitness should throw
+  try
+  {
+    cout << pop1[0].fitness() << endl;
+    cout << "did not throw" << endl;
+    assert(false); // should throw
+  }
+  catch(exception& e)
+  {
+    cout << "Fitness threw exception, as it should" << endl;
+    cout << e.what() << endl;
+  }
+
+  // at this point trying to scale should throw
+  try
+  {
+    algo(pop1); // should complain that it cannot scale
+    assert(false); // so it would never get here
+  }
+  catch(exception& e)
+  { // but rather ends here
+    cout << e.what() << endl;
+  }
+
+  // ok, now set the scaling
+  pop1.set_scalef(perf2worth);
+
+  algo(pop1);
+
+  cout << "the fitness has been transformed from " << pop1[0].performance() << " to exp(-1) = " << pop1[0].fitness() << endl;
+}
+
+int main()
+{
+  try
+  {
+    the_main();
+  }
+  catch(exception& e)
+  {
+    cout << e.what() << endl;
+  }
+}
+
+