--- a/CharacterArray.st	Tue Feb 16 15:06:54 2016 +0100
+++ b/CharacterArray.st	Tue Feb 16 16:10:10 2016 +0100
@@ -320,6 +320,7 @@
     "Created: 3.8.1997 / 18:16:40 / cg"
 ! !
 
+
 !CharacterArray class methodsFor:'cleanup'!
 
 lowSpaceCleanup
@@ -2761,14 +2762,15 @@
      return a byteArray containing single-, double- or even 4-bytewise values.
      The size of the returned byteArray will be the strings size multiplied by the
      size required for the largest character.
+     Attention: The bytes are in native byte order.
      Caveat: better use utf8Encoded, to get reproducable results"
 
     |bytes sz bytesPerCharacter idx str|
 
     str := self string.
     str ~~ self ifTrue:[
-	"/ for text and other wrappers
-	^ str asByteArray
+        "/ for text and other wrappers
+        ^ str asByteArray
     ].
 
     "/ for real strings, a fallback
@@ -2777,25 +2779,41 @@
     bytes := ByteArray new:(sz * bytesPerCharacter).
     idx := 1.
     self do:[:char |
-	|code|
-
-	code := char codePoint.
-	bytesPerCharacter == 2 ifTrue:[
-	    bytes unsignedShortAt:idx put:code
-	] ifFalse:[
-	    bytesPerCharacter == 4 ifTrue:[
-		bytes unsignedLongAt:idx put:code
-	    ] ifFalse:[
-		bytes at:idx put:code
-	    ].
-	].
-	idx := idx + bytesPerCharacter.
+        |code|
+
+        code := char codePoint.
+        bytesPerCharacter == 2 ifTrue:[
+            bytes unsignedShortAt:idx put:code
+        ] ifFalse:[
+            bytesPerCharacter == 4 ifTrue:[
+                bytes unsignedLongAt:idx put:code
+            ] ifFalse:[
+                bytes at:idx put:code
+            ].
+        ].
+        idx := idx + bytesPerCharacter.
     ].
     ^ bytes
 
     "Created: / 27-07-2011 / 00:56:17 / cg"
 !
 
+asByteArrayMSB:msb
+    "depending on the size of the characters in the receiver,
+     return a byteArray containing single-, double- or even 4-bytewise values.
+     The size of the returned byteArray will be the strings size multiplied by the
+     size required for the largest character.
+     Caveat: better use utf8Encoded, to get reproducable results"
+
+    |ba|
+
+    ba := self asByteArray. "/ native order
+    UninterpretedBytes isBigEndian ~~ msb ifTrue:[
+        ba swapBytes
+    ].
+    ^ ba
+!
+
 asCollectionOfLines
     "return a collection containing the lines (separated by cr)
      of the receiver. If multiple cr's occur in a row, the result will
@@ -4435,6 +4453,8 @@
 ! !
 
 
+
+
 !CharacterArray methodsFor:'matching - glob expressions'!
 
 compoundMatch:aString
@@ -7610,6 +7630,7 @@
     ^ aVisitor visitString:self with:aParameter
 ! !
 
+
 !CharacterArray class methodsFor:'documentation'!
 
 version