(unsigned)char explained

[utzoo!decvax!microsof!gordon]

The offical C language 'white book' discusses casts and coercions
at length, but is not worded very precicely.  In fact, there are
two ways it might be interpreted; this ambiguity is mitigated by
the fact that both ways produce the same result via different
paths.
	Hans Spiller of Microsoft gave a paper at the last usenix
discussing:
	1) what the official standard is, with special DMR endorsement
	2) how current (v7) compilers, both the 'pcc' and 'cc' products
	   differ from this standard,
	3) how 3.0 compilers follow the standard (almost exactly)
	4) how to write code to attain portability across these various
	   compilers.
Copies are available upon request; perhaps I can get him to put a
short summary on the net, if theres interest.

	gordon letwin
	decvax!microso!gordon