On Tue, 4 May 1999 22:32:22 +1000, Paul B. Webster VK2BZC wrote:

>Various suggestions to XOR with .255 or b'11111111' or 0xff noted.
>
>  I suggest the most reliable and actually shortest way to represent the
>value "all ones" is in fact always ...
> -1
>(minus one).
>
>  Anyone suggest a reason why not?

Can't tell you why not, but I can sure tell you *why* from experience!
Darned, if it isn't one of the hardest bugs to notice when you accidentally
drop one of those 1's! ... especially when there are no other binary constants
near by in the source to use as a visual guide.

I *do* like to use binary constants a lot though for masks, because I never
really have been able to visualize the binary value all hex numbers
equally well.

Too bad they don't teach children alternate numbering systems from age
5 on up.  I suspect HEX and binary would be more natural then....


Dan