public boolean equals(Object anObject) {
    if (this == anObject) {
      return true;
    }
    if (anObject instanceof String) {
      String anotherString = (String) anObject;
      int n = value.length;
      if (n == anotherString.value.length) {
        char v1[] = value;
        char v2[] = anotherString.value;
        int i = 0;
        while (n-- != 0) {
          if (v1[i] != v2[i])
              return false;
          i++;
        }
        return true;
      }
    }
    return false;
  }

 public int compareTo(String anotherString) {
    int len1 = value.length;
    int len2 = anotherString.value.length;
    int lim = Math.min(len1, len2);
    char v1[] = value;
    char v2[] = anotherString.value;
    int k = 0;
    while (k < lim) {
      char c1 = v1[k];
      char c2 = v2[k];
      if (c1 != c2) {
        return c1 - c2;
      }
      k++;
    }
    return len1 - len2;
  }