When you have a list of things that all have code numbers assigned to them you generally need to be able to sort them in a list. There are various different ways to sort these code numbers. The two most well known are numerical sorting and alphabetical sorting. With a numerical sorting, the OS treats each group of numerals as a single number and sorts 3 before 13 because the number 3 is smaller than the number 13. This only works with numerals and not letters. In contrast, an alphabetic sort only looks at each character of the code in turn and ignores the fact that a set of numerals may look like a larger number to humans. 13 sorts before 3 because the numeral 1 is smaller than the numeral 3. Only after sorting based on the first character would the computer even look at the second character in 13. This type of sorting can be used with any combination of letters and numerals.

The good thing about using an alphabetic sort is that it is easy to squeeze additional things in between two other things simply by adding an additional character. Suppose your list of "things" included things with code numbers of 38F and 38G but you need to fit several other things between them. All you have to do is name those additional things something like 38F9, 38FK, 38FN, and 38FR. Those additional things will then be sorted right between 38F and 38G without renaming 38F or 38G or modifying them in any way.

For this reason alphabetical sorting is assumed in the DEMCS™. Now, different operating systems may actually sort your files in different orders. However, it is possible to set both Windows and Linux to sort in purely alphabetical mode. I can only assume it is the same on Macs.

Next: Final overview of the theory behind the DEMCS™ coding system...