[Proj] The trouble with grid datum correction files

[Karl Swartz]

> > (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endian#Endianness_in_networking ).
> 
> For the moment, I do not think we should concern ourselves with binary
> data *and* network protocol.  This introduces an additional complex
> layer ...

If a problem has already been solved in one space, it seems silly to
blindly reinvent the wheel.  In various binary formats I've developed,
borrowing the nton{s,l}() routines from the networking space is simple
and portable.

> At the moment what bothers me most is the fact that I have the strong
> feeling that those who assembled these data bases were either ignorant
> of the problem or chose to ignore it.

Given that some of these formats may have their roots in times when CPU
cycles (to convert data) were precious and networking was a research
project, you may not be too far off the mark because there was no more
near-term need than there was for four-digit years.  Look at the number
of files in the petromeum exploration space that use EBCDIC, 370 FP
formats, and are sized to fit on a 3390 tapes!

 -- Karl