diff --git a/bits.h b/bits.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..39b25d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bits.h
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+/*
+ * $Id: bits.h,v 1.3 2004/07/21 10:10:22 mclark Exp $
+ *
+ * Copyright Metaparadigm Pte. Ltd. 2004.
+ * Michael Clark <michael@metaparadigm.com>
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public (LGPL)
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details: http://www.gnu.org/
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef _bits_h_
+#define _bits_h_
+
+#define min(x,y) ({             \
+        typeof(x) _x = (x);     \
+        typeof(y) _y = (y);     \
+        (void) (&_x == &_y);    \
+        _x < _y ? _x : _y; })
+
+#define max(x,y) ({             \
+        typeof(x) _x = (x);     \
+        typeof(y) _y = (y);     \
+        (void) (&_x == &_y);    \
+        _x > _y ? _x : _y; })
+
+#define hexdigit(x) (((x) <= '9') ? (x) - '0' : ((x) & 7) + 9)
+#define error_ptr(error) ((void*)error)
+#define is_error(ptr) ((unsigned long)ptr > (unsigned long)-4000L)
+
+#endif