diff --git a/ZString.cpp b/ZString.cpp
index 56e69c8..9529dd2 100644
--- a/ZString.cpp
+++ b/ZString.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #include "ZString.h"
 #include "Log.h"
 #include "Exception.h"
@@ -251,7 +252,23 @@ namespace coreutils {
    }
 
    int ZString::compare(ZString zstring) {
-      
+      char *end1 = data + length;
+      char *end2 = zstring.getData() + getLength();
+      char *cursor1 = cursor;
+      char *cursor2 = zstring.getCursor();
+      while((cursor1 < end1) && (cursor2 < end2)) {
+	 if(*cursor1 < *cursor2)
+	   return -1;
+	 if(*cursor1 > *cursor2)
+	   return 1;
+	 ++cursor1;
+	 ++cursor2;
+      }
+      if((cursor1 == end1) && (cursor2 != end2))
+	return -1;
+      if((cursor2 == end2) && (cursor1 != end1))
+	return 1;
+      return 0;      
    }
       
    bool ZString::equals(const char *value) {
diff --git a/testing/zstring_test.cpp b/testing/zstring_test.cpp
index 6d329a5..f916e61 100644
--- a/testing/zstring_test.cpp
+++ b/testing/zstring_test.cpp
@@ -69,6 +69,13 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
    std::cout << test7.lineIsWhitespace() << test7.goeol() << std::endl;
    std::cout << test7.lineIsWhitespace() << test7.goeol() << std::endl;
    std::cout << test7.lineIsWhitespace() << test7.goeol() << std::endl;
-   
+
+   coreutils::ZString test8("value1");
+   coreutils::ZString test9("value2");
+   std::cout << test8.compare(test9) << ":" << test9.compare(test8) << ":" << test8.compare(test8) << std::endl;
+
+   coreutils::ZString test10("value1");
+   coreutils::ZString test11("value1");
+   std::cout << test10.compare(test11) << ":" << test11.compare(test10) << std::endl;
    
 }