title: What is '0x0102030405060708L' in Bits.java
body: <p>So I saw this bit of static block in <code>Bits.java</code> in the <code>java.nio</code> package.</p>
  
  <pre><code> static {
      long a = unsafe.allocateMemory(8);
      try {
          unsafe.putLong(a, 0x0102030405060708L);
          byte b = unsafe.getByte(a);
          switch (b) {
          case 0x01: byteOrder = ByteOrder.BIG_ENDIAN;     break;
          case 0x08: byteOrder = ByteOrder.LITTLE_ENDIAN;  break;
          default:
              assert false;
              byteOrder = null;
          }
      } finally {
          unsafe.freeMemory(a);
      }
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>What is the significance of <code>0x0102030405060708L</code>?<br>
  What is this hardcoded value?</p>