diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 36bee967..ee3c1975 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -7,49 +7,51 @@ AM_LDFLAGS  = $(BOOST_LDFLAGS) $(BOOST_FILESYSTEM_LIB) $(COMMON_LDFLAGS)
 SUBDIRS = test
 
 UTIL_INCLUDE =  \
-    annotations.hpp \
-    backtrace.hpp   \
-    debug.hpp   \
-    enable_if.hpp   \
-    except.hpp  \
-    fixed.hpp	\
-    float.hpp	\
-    io.hpp	\
-    ip.hpp	\
-    json.hpp	\
-    maths.hpp	\
-    matrix.hpp	\
-    nocopy.hpp	\
-    point.hpp	\
-    pool.hpp	\
-    range.hpp	\
-    region.hpp	\
-    signal.hpp	\
-    stream.hpp	\
-    string.hpp	\
-    types.hpp	\
-    vector.hpp  \
+    annotations.hpp 	\
+    backtrace.hpp   	\
+    debug.hpp   	\
+    enable_if.hpp  	\
+    endian.hpp		\
+    except.hpp  	\
+    fixed.hpp		\
+    float.hpp		\
+    io.hpp		\
+    ip.hpp		\
+    json.hpp		\
+    maths.hpp		\
+    matrix.hpp		\
+    nocopy.hpp		\
+    point.hpp		\
+    pool.hpp		\
+    range.hpp		\
+    region.hpp		\
+    signal.hpp		\
+    stream.hpp		\
+    string.hpp		\
+    types.hpp		\
+    vector.hpp  	\
     version.hpp
 
-UTIL_FILES   =	\
-    debug.cpp   \
-    except.cpp  \
-    fixed.cpp	\
-    float.cpp	\
-    io.cpp	\
-    ip.cpp	\
-    json.cpp	\
-    maths.cpp	\
-    matrix.cpp	\
-    point.cpp	\
-    pool.cpp	\
-    range.cpp	\
-    region.cpp	\
-    signal.cpp	\
-    stream.cpp	\
-    string.cpp	\
-    types.cpp	\
-    vector.cpp  \
+UTIL_FILES   =		\
+    debug.cpp   	\
+    endian.cpp		\
+    except.cpp  	\
+    fixed.cpp		\
+    float.cpp		\
+    io.cpp		\
+    ip.cpp		\
+    json.cpp		\
+    maths.cpp		\
+    matrix.cpp		\
+    point.cpp		\
+    pool.cpp		\
+    range.cpp		\
+    region.cpp		\
+    signal.cpp		\
+    stream.cpp		\
+    string.cpp		\
+    types.cpp		\
+    vector.cpp  	\
     version.cpp
 
 
diff --git a/endian.cpp b/endian.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..25486464
--- /dev/null
+++ b/endian.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of libgim.
+ *
+ * libgim is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+ * terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
+ * Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later
+ * version.
+ *
+ * libgim is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+ * WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more
+ * details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with libgim.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ * Copyright 2010 Danny Robson <danny@blubinc.net>
+ */
+
+#include "endian.hpp"
diff --git a/endian.hpp b/endian.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5f26ed7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/endian.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of libgim.
+ *
+ * libgim is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+ * terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
+ * Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later
+ * version.
+ *
+ * libgim is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+ * WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more
+ * details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with libgim.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ * Copyright 2010 Danny Robson <danny@blubinc.net>
+ */
+
+#ifndef __UTIL_ENDIAN_HPP
+#define __UTIL_ENDIAN_HPP
+
+#include <cstdint>
+
+
+enum {
+    ENDIAN_BIG,
+    ENDIAN_LITTLE
+};
+
+
+constexpr  uint8_t hton (uint8_t h) { return h; }
+constexpr  uint8_t ntoh (uint8_t n) { return n; }
+
+
+constexpr uint16_t hton (uint16_t h) {
+    return ((h & 0xFF00) >> 8) |
+           ((h & 0x00FF) << 8);
+}
+
+constexpr uint16_t ntoh (uint16_t n)
+    { return hton (n); }
+
+
+constexpr uint32_t hton (uint32_t h) {
+    return __builtin_bswap32 (h);
+
+    //return (h & 0xFF000000U) >> 24 |
+    //       (h & 0x00FF0000U) >>  8 |
+    //       (h & 0x0000FF00U) <<  8 |
+    //       (h & 0x000000FFU) << 24;
+}
+
+
+constexpr uint32_t ntoh (uint32_t n)
+    { return hton (n); }
+
+
+constexpr uint64_t hton (uint64_t h) {
+    return __builtin_bswap64 (h);
+
+    // return (h & 0xFF00000000000000UL) >> 56 |
+    //        (h & 0x00FF000000000000UL) >> 40 |
+    //        (h & 0x0000FF0000000000UL) >> 24 |
+    //        (h & 0x000000FF00000000UL) >>  8 |
+    //        (h & 0x00000000FF000000UL) <<  8 |
+    //        (h & 0x0000000000FF0000UL) << 24 |
+    //        (h & 0x000000000000FF00UL) << 40 |
+    //        (h & 0x00000000000000FFUL) << 56;
+}
+
+
+constexpr uint64_t ntoh (uint64_t n)
+    { return hton (n); }
+
+#endif