The way numbers are stored in a computer word, which is the basic unit of storage (computer words are 8, 16, 32 and 64 bits long).
Big Endian and Little Endian
Big endian is the way we normally deal with numbers: the most significant byte or digits are placed leftmost in the structure (the big end). The Internet protocol (TCP/IP) also uses the big endian order regardless of the hardware at either end.
Some CPUs, most notably x86 CPUs, deal with words in little endian order, which places the least significant digits on the left (the little end). Since numbers are calculated by the CPU starting with the least significant digits, little endian numbers are already set up in the required processing order.
Bi-Endian
A bi-endian machine, such as the PowerPC, supports both big endian and little endian words.
In the following example, the decimal number 23,041 (equivalent to 5A01 in hex) is shown in both byte orders.
Choosing Byte Order
TIFF images store pixel values as words, and byte order makes a difference; witness this Photoshop dialog box asking which platform you are saving to. On the other hand, GIFs and JPEGs are not word oriented, and byte order does not matter.
Big Endian and Little Endian
Big endian is the way we normally deal with numbers: the most significant byte or digits are placed leftmost in the structure (the big end). The Internet protocol (TCP/IP) also uses the big endian order regardless of the hardware at either end.
Some CPUs, most notably x86 CPUs, deal with words in little endian order, which places the least significant digits on the left (the little end). Since numbers are calculated by the CPU starting with the least significant digits, little endian numbers are already set up in the required processing order.
Bi-Endian
A bi-endian machine, such as the PowerPC, supports both big endian and little endian words.
In the following example, the decimal number 23,041 (equivalent to 5A01 in hex) is shown in both byte orders.
BYTE ORDER FOR NUMBER 23,041 (5A01 in hex) Big Endian (BE) Little Endian (LE) 5A01 015A CPU BYTE ORDER EXAMPLES Big Endian Little Endian Motorola 68K x86 (Intel, AMD, etc.) IBM mainframes PDP-11, VAX Bi-Endian CPUs PowerPC Itanium
Choosing Byte Order
TIFF images store pixel values as words, and byte order makes a difference; witness this Photoshop dialog box asking which platform you are saving to. On the other hand, GIFs and JPEGs are not word oriented, and byte order does not matter.
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2008 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Hot rumor: Apple developing LCD HDTV with built-in networking, Apple TV?
- Just in case you wanted a new Apple rumor that didn't involve updated MacBooks and building laptops out of aluminum bricks, here's an inevitable-seeming one from tech guru Jason Calacanis, who tells our sister site CNET UK that Apple is planning an LCD-based HDTV that would sport built-in networking and...
- Blog posts 2008-10-11
- IBM signs up new client for sustainability consulting
- A financial investment firm from Boston, Jantz Morgan, is turning to IBM's green consulting services arm (aka IBM's business strategy consulting practice) to help it integrate the idea of sustainability into its corporate operations. The focus will go beyond the company's impact on the environment; it will...
- Blog posts 2008-10-11
- Seesmic fires a third of staff as recession bites
- Loic LeMeur, CEO of Seesmic has announced the company is reducing its headcount by seven people. That may not sound like a huge number but as LeMeur says in the video announcement: ...the longevity of the company is obviously of significant importance - and thus we must reduce costs...
- Blog posts 2008-10-10
- Microsoft: How we'll take on VMware
- The software maker believes it has the tools and the right price point to beat VMware in the battle for the virtualisation market. Microsoft has a three-pronged strategy to beat VMware in the virtualization market, according to the company's senior director for virtualization product management, Zane Adam. ...
- News items 2008-10-10
- GridBuster (zip)
- GridBuster is a casual puzzle game. The object of the game is to guide the ball from the top left corner of the grid to the goal in the bottom right corner of the grid, however, the path is blocked by an array of tiles. You begin with a certain...
- Software downloads 2008-10-10
- High Definition 1080p Multimedia Screen Saver (zip)
- Multimedia screen saver capable of displaying high definition WMV/HD video, as well as other popular computer video formats, and wide variety of audio files. Create a play list and display video and audio files in order of selection or at random. Audio files display visualizations during playback. Choose from six...
- Software downloads 2008-10-10
- "People with strong numerical and problem-solving skills seem to be appreciated by employers"
- Do ya think? That was a key point in a BBC News article on the overall high ranking of US and UK universities worldwide. While the usual suspects (Harvard, Yale, Cambridge, and Oxford, in that order) scored at the top of the "Times Higher Education QS list," an...
- Blog posts 2008-10-09
- Apple invites press to 14 October notebook event
- Apple invites press to 14 October notebook eventMy Bitterness May Finally EndI had the biggest sigh of relief today when I read the news of Oct 14. For months (years?) we've been wading through rumors and disappointment so to know that Apple will FINALLY give the non-iPhone/iPod community some attention...
- Discussion threads 2008-10-09
- Easing the SaaS-to-cash cycle
- Easing the SaaS-to-cash cycleCredit crunchMonetization of services becomes all the more critical in these times. As volumes increase operational efficiency becomes critical. At eVapt we therefore go beyond allowing service providers to plug in eVapt billing and payment capabilities. We allow users to scale and automate collection and analysis...
- Discussion threads 2008-10-09
- Making money on open source
- Making money on open sourceLower expenses, increased profitsThe Comment confirms that open source may be used to reduce expenses while obtaining profits from other products.Quoting:IBM has used Linux to unify its product lines, it has used open source to deliver services, and it has continued to get top dollar for...
- Discussion threads 2008-10-09
- Kernell's prior: In 7th grade he broke into school computer
- Kernell's prior: In 7th grade he broke into school computerprobably an arrogant kidI doubt that other kids don't wanna hang around with him due to his smartness. He probably likes to put other kids down trying to show-off himself. Why leave a computer logged into the school server? If you...
- Discussion threads 2008-10-09
- A Maze Race (exe)
- In this game you will control a green ball to compete against the red ball controlled by the computer to reach the flag in a maze. Your ball and the computer's ball will be of equal distance from the flag, you need to make good judgement about shortest path to...
- Software downloads 2008-10-09
- Tickerz 3 (exe)
- Revolbyte Tickerz is a multimedia client which allows you to enjoy TV and radio channels via Internet. You don't need any additional TV-Card in your PC order notebook. You just need an ordinary Internet connection. With Tickerz you have access to thousands of radio- and TV-streams from all over the...
- Software downloads 2008-10-09
- Credit-Aid PRO Credit Repair Software (zip)
- Professional credit repair software for mortgage brokers and credit repair business: fix bad credit reports. Boost your FICO score, generate credit dispute letters, order free credit reports, remove errors and negotiate with creditors, and get the best loan, mortgage, refinance or credit card rate possible. Includes organization and planning tools....
- Software downloads 2008-10-09
- Data Doctor Financial Accounting Software (Standard Edition) (exe)
- Business financial accounting and billing software maintains financial operations and transaction records in an efficient manner. Software centralized the task of creating or modifying reports, tracking inventory details, creating invoice, and purchase order statements. Business and corporate users can access all accounting information in less time and efforts to manage...
- Software downloads 2008-10-09
- Qualifier (zip)
- Qualifier is a survival shooter where in order to achieve high score, you have to keep your accuracy as good as possible, kill as much enemies as possible and survive for as long as you can. Why? Because you lose HP when you let the enemies leave the left side...
- Software downloads 2008-10-09
- MyPostageRateSaver Internet Edition (exe)
- MyPostageRateSaver is the all-in-one, cost effective direct mail software solution. MyPostageRateSaver provides complete software tools for effectively correcting and sorting bulk mailing in the exact order the Post Office specifies. As one of the longest selling retail bulk mailing software program, MyPostageRateSaver has helped tens of thousands of mailers improve...
- Software downloads 2008-10-09
- Tams11 Fathom (exe)
- Fathom is an multiplayer online game similar to Mastermind. You try to guess the sequence of the four colored balls in as few guesses as possible. You receive clues for each guess. The clue lets you know how many balls you have in the correct spot, how many you have...
- Software downloads 2008-10-09
- Poker sites fight to get domain names back from Kentucky
- This is a novel legal strategy. And so far it's working. Last month, in an effort to preserve the state's monopoly on legal gambling, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear sued to have 141 online gambling sites' domains transferred to the state's control. According to the Washington Post, a big...
- Blog posts 2008-10-08
- Palin e-mail hacker indicted, pleads not guilty. Is justice being served?
- Justice is being served against the kid who allegedly hacked into Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin's Yahoo email account, right? David Kernell, the 20-year-old son of Democratic Tennessee state representative Mike Kernell and a student at the University of Tennessee, was indicted on a charge of accessing...
- Blog posts 2008-10-08
Neighboring Terms
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
- Is it time for "Radical Change" in IT?
-
We need to get back to freethinking and innovation that is core to our roots. Companies like Intel were founded on thoughts like the famous quote from Robert Noyce - "Don't be encumbered by the past, go out and do something wonderful."
- Read the impassioned view on IT@Intel Blog >>
- BNET Industries
- Check out BNET's newest resource for managers and executives. Need to do research on your competitors? Don't have time to read every trade pub? BNET Industries is the new source for daily news, insights, and research on 11 major industries and 9,000 public companies.
-
- The technology industry from a different angle
-
- See what's hot in the auto industry
-
- Stay on top of the energy industry
