Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!ucbvax!SCT60A.SUNYCT.EDU!sweetmr From: sweetmr@SCT60A.SUNYCT.EDU (michael sweet) Newsgroups: comp.sys.sgi Subject: Re: where does BIG/LITTLE endian come from??? Message-ID: <11062.on.Wed,.10.Apr.91.07:26:45.EDT.@sct60a.sunyct.edu> Date: 10 Apr 91 11:26:45 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The Internet Lines: 13 > Now for the real important question: > Where did the term Big-Little Endian come from? What is the folklore > behind this jargon ? This one is a groaner: A number is big-endian if its end (last byte) is on the bigger address, and little-endian if its end is on the littler address.... Stupid, but easy to remember. I don't know who thought this one up..... -Mike