Un/serialize functions?

[Skip Montanaro]

    Grant> I've always been curious why converting a data structure into a
    Grant> system-independent representation is called "serializing". 

I believe it is related to the need to "put it on the wire", that is, to put
it in a byte-by-byte order which can travel over a network (or over a serial
line).  Another possible explanation is that data structures tend to be two
or higher dimensional beasts.  Serializing them converts them to a linear,
or serial, structure.

-- 
Skip Montanaro
skip at pobox.com
consulting: http://manatee.mojam.com/~skip/resume.html