gistfile1.txt

diff --git a/c/numpy-vstring/Makefile b/c/numpy-vstring/Makefile
index 894fbfd..cfaf231 100644
--- a/c/numpy-vstring/Makefile
+++ b/c/numpy-vstring/Makefile
@@ -1,13 +1,10 @@
 SRC = vstring_demo.c vstring_print_utils.c vstring.c
 HEADERS = vstring_print_utils.h vstring.h
 
-all: vstring_demo vstring_demo_mock_be
+all: vstring_demo
 
 vstring_demo: $(SRC) $(HEADERS)
-	$(CC) $(SRC) -o vstring_demo
-
-vstring_demo_mock_be: $(SRC) $(HEADERS)
-	$(CC) -DMOCK_BE=1 $(SRC) -o vstring_demo_mock_be
+	$(CC) $(SRC) -g -o vstring_demo
 
 clean:
-	rm -rf vstring_demo vstring_demo_mock_be
+	rm -rf vstring_demo
diff --git a/c/numpy-vstring/vstring.c b/c/numpy-vstring/vstring.c
index 02364c6..7768549 100644
--- a/c/numpy-vstring/vstring.c
+++ b/c/numpy-vstring/vstring.c
@@ -5,34 +5,6 @@
 
 #include "vstring.h"
 
-#ifdef MOCK_BE
-
-// This proof-of-concept code has been developed on a little-endian system.
-// If MOCK_BE is defined when the code is built, the `size` field of the
-// npy_static_string struct will be stored in big-endian format.  It is
-// my crude attempt to test the concept for big-endian systems, without
-// actually having a true big-endian system.
-
-void
-set_mock_be_size_t(size_t *p, size_t size)
-{
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < sizeof(size_t); ++i) {
-        *(((char *) p) + i) = ((char *) &size)[sizeof(size_t) - i - 1];
-    }
-}
-
-size_t
-get_mock_be_size_t(size_t *p)
-{
-    size_t size;
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < sizeof(size_t); ++i) {
-        *(((char *) &size) + i) = ((char *) p)[sizeof(size_t) - i - 1];
-    }
-    return size;
-}
-
-#endif // MOCK_BE
-
 bool
 is_notastring(npy_static_string *string)
 {
@@ -63,11 +35,7 @@ assign_string(npy_static_string *string, size_t size, char *str)
         memcpy(&(string->direct_buffer.buffer), str, size);
     }
     else {
-#ifdef MOCK_BE
-        set_mock_be_size_t(&(string->vstring.size), size);
-#else
         string->vstring.size = size;
-#endif
         string->vstring.buf = str;
     }
 }
diff --git a/c/numpy-vstring/vstring.h b/c/numpy-vstring/vstring.h
index 904de3e..a72e840 100644
--- a/c/numpy-vstring/vstring.h
+++ b/c/numpy-vstring/vstring.h
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 #ifndef VSTRING_H
 
 #include <stdbool.h>
+#include <endian.h>
 
-#ifndef MOCK_BE
+#if __BYTE_ORDER == __LITTLE_ENDIAN
 
 //
 // Little-endian memory layout.
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ typedef struct _short_string_buffer {
     unsigned char high_byte;
 } short_string_buffer;
 
-#else  // MOCK_BE
+#elif __BYTE_ORDER == __BIG_ENDIAN
 
 //
 // Big-endian memory layout.
@@ -34,6 +35,10 @@ typedef struct _short_string_buffer {
     unsigned char buffer[sizeof(npy_static_string_t) - 1];
 } short_string_buffer;
 
+#else
+
+#error system is neither big or little endian
+
 #endif
 
 typedef union _npy_static_string {
@@ -61,9 +66,4 @@ void print_bytes(size_t size, char *buf);
 void print_vstring(npy_static_string *string);
 void print_vstring_array(size_t n, npy_static_string *arr);
 
-#ifdef MOCK_BE
-void set_mock_be_size_t(size_t *p, size_t size);
-size_t get_mock_be_size_t(size_t *p);
-#endif
-
 #endif
diff --git a/c/numpy-vstring/vstring_demo.c b/c/numpy-vstring/vstring_demo.c
index 5fe4a28..7e6ad15 100644
--- a/c/numpy-vstring/vstring_demo.c
+++ b/c/numpy-vstring/vstring_demo.c
@@ -47,8 +47,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         }
     }
 
-#ifdef MOCK_BE
-    printf("MOCK_BE is enabled.\n");
+#if __BYTE_ORDER == __LITTLE_ENDIAN
+    printf("Little endian system.\n");
+#else
+    printf("Big endian system.\n");
 #endif
 
     printf("n = %d\n", n);
diff --git a/c/numpy-vstring/vstring_print_utils.c b/c/numpy-vstring/vstring_print_utils.c
index 52be934..5b7fa56 100644
--- a/c/numpy-vstring/vstring_print_utils.c
+++ b/c/numpy-vstring/vstring_print_utils.c
@@ -35,11 +35,7 @@ print_vstring(npy_static_string *string)
         print_bytes(size, (char *)&(string->direct_buffer.buffer));
     }
     else {
-#ifdef MOCK_BE
-        size_t size = get_mock_be_size_t(&(string->vstring.size));
-#else
         size_t size = string->vstring.size;
-#endif
         printf("standard:     "); 
         print_bytes(size, string->vstring.buf);
     }