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From: bcase@cup.portal.com (Brian bcase Case)
Newsgroups: comp.arch,comp.misc,comp.lang.misc,comp.protocols.misc
Subject: Re: "big endian" and "little endian" - first usage for computer
Message-ID: <13045@cup.portal.com>
Date: 29 Dec 88 18:59:33 GMT
References: <2766@cbnews.ATT.COM> <10147@well.UUCP>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 11

>Both representations are useful.  Are there any other respective
>advantages I've left out?

Big endian has the significant advantage that, when properly aligned,
character strings can be compared using the full width of the machine's
ALU.  For 32-bit machines, this means that two four-character (sub)strings
can be compared at one time.  This is because the lowest address always
points to the *first* character in the string.  Little endian requires
character-at-a-time processing or hardware gymnastics.

Since it forces inefficiency, little-endian is for CISCs.  :-) :-)