diff --git a/include/node.h b/include/node.h
index 1d39ede..808d67f 100644
--- a/include/node.h
+++ b/include/node.h
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ namespace YAML
 
 		template <typename T>
 		const T Read() const;
+		
+		template <typename T>
+		operator T() const;
 
 		template <typename T>
 		friend void operator >> (const Node& node, T& value);
@@ -109,6 +112,24 @@ namespace YAML
 		const Node *m_pIdentity;
 		mutable bool m_referenced;
 	};
+	
+	// comparisons with auto-conversion
+	template <typename T>
+	bool operator == (const T& value, const Node& node);
+	
+	template <typename T>
+	bool operator == (const Node& node, const T& value);
+	
+	template <typename T>
+	bool operator != (const T& value, const Node& node);
+	
+	template <typename T>
+	bool operator != (const Node& node, const T& value);
+	
+	bool operator == (const char *value, const Node& node);
+	bool operator == (const Node& node, const char *value);
+	bool operator != (const char *value, const Node& node);
+	bool operator != (const Node& node, const char *value);
 }
 
 #include "nodeimpl.h"
diff --git a/include/nodeimpl.h b/include/nodeimpl.h
index f513fd5..b5a656e 100644
--- a/include/nodeimpl.h
+++ b/include/nodeimpl.h
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@ namespace YAML
 		return value;
 	}
 	
+	template <typename T>
+	Node::operator T() const {
+		return Read<T>();
+	}
+
 	template <typename T>
 	inline void operator >> (const Node& node, T& value) {
 		if(!node.Read(value))
@@ -80,6 +85,43 @@ namespace YAML
 	inline const Node& Node::operator [] (const char *key) const {
 		return GetValue(std::string(key));
 	}
+
+	template <typename T>
+	inline bool operator == (const T& value, const Node& node) {
+		return value == node.Read<T>();
+	}
+	
+	template <typename T>
+	inline bool operator == (const Node& node, const T& value) {
+		return value == node.Read<T>();
+	}
+	
+	template <typename T>
+	inline bool operator != (const T& value, const Node& node) {
+		return value != node.Read<T>();
+	}
+	
+	template <typename T>
+	inline bool operator != (const Node& node, const T& value) {
+		return value != node.Read<T>();
+	}
+
+	inline bool operator == (const char *value, const Node& node) {
+		return std::string(value) == node;
+	}
+	
+	inline bool operator == (const Node& node, const char *value) {
+		return std::string(value) == node;
+	}
+	
+	inline bool operator != (const char *value, const Node& node) {
+		return std::string(value) != node;
+	}
+	
+	inline bool operator != (const Node& node, const char *value) {
+		return std::string(value) != node;
+	}
+	
 }
 
 #endif // NODEIMPL_H_62B23520_7C8E_11DE_8A39_0800200C9A66
diff --git a/src/map.cpp b/src/map.cpp
index 8aadec9..6a57009 100644
--- a/src/map.cpp
+++ b/src/map.cpp
@@ -53,6 +53,11 @@ namespace YAML
 		return true;
 	}
 
+	std::size_t Map::GetSize() const
+	{
+		return m_data.size();
+	}
+
 	void Map::Parse(Scanner *pScanner, const ParserState& state)
 	{
 		Clear();
diff --git a/src/map.h b/src/map.h
index fc448b5..8cb67cb 100644
--- a/src/map.h
+++ b/src/map.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ namespace YAML
 
 		virtual bool GetBegin(std::map <Node *, Node *, ltnode>::const_iterator& it) const;
 		virtual bool GetEnd(std::map <Node *, Node *, ltnode>::const_iterator& it) const;
+		virtual std::size_t GetSize() const;
 		virtual void Parse(Scanner *pScanner, const ParserState& state);
 		virtual void Write(Emitter& out) const;
 
diff --git a/yaml-reader/spectests.cpp b/yaml-reader/spectests.cpp
index 3169b43..50bb4d6 100644
--- a/yaml-reader/spectests.cpp
+++ b/yaml-reader/spectests.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 #include <vector>
 #include <iostream>
 
+#define YAML_ASSERT(cond) do { if(!(cond)) return false; } while(false)
+
 namespace Test {
 	namespace {
 		void RunSpecTest(bool (*test)(), const std::string& index, const std::string& name, bool& passed) {
@@ -34,23 +36,14 @@ namespace Test {
 				"- Sammy Sosa\n"
 				"- Ken Griffey";
 			std::stringstream stream(input);
-			
 			YAML::Parser parser(stream);
 			YAML::Node doc;
 			parser.GetNextDocument(doc);
 			
-			if(doc.size() != 3)
-				return false;
-			std::string output;
-			doc[0] >> output;
-			if(output != "Mark McGwire")
-				return false;
-			doc[1] >> output;
-			if(output != "Sammy Sosa")
-				return false;
-			doc[2] >> output;
-			if(output != "Ken Griffey")
-				return false;
+			YAML_ASSERT(doc.size() == 3);
+			YAML_ASSERT(doc[0] == "Mark McGwire");
+			YAML_ASSERT(doc[1] == "Sammy Sosa");
+			YAML_ASSERT(doc[2] == "Ken Griffey");
 			return true;
 		}
 		
@@ -60,21 +53,14 @@ namespace Test {
 				"avg: 0.278 # Batting average\n"
 				"rbi: 147   # Runs Batted In";
 			std::stringstream stream(input);
-			
 			YAML::Parser parser(stream);
 			YAML::Node doc;
 			parser.GetNextDocument(doc);
 
-			std::string output;
-			doc["hr"] >> output;
-			if(output != "65")
-				return false;
-			doc["avg"] >> output;
-			if(output != "0.278")
-				return false;
-			doc["rbi"] >> output;
-			if(output != "147")
-				return false;
+			YAML_ASSERT(doc.size() == 3);
+			YAML_ASSERT(doc["hr"] == "65");
+			YAML_ASSERT(doc["avg"] == "0.278");
+			YAML_ASSERT(doc["rbi"] == "147");
 			return true;
 		}
 	}