>>>Question 2: Why does this throw an exception :-} :

Double d2 = Double.Parse(Double.MaxValue.ToString());

>
>OK... you made me go and write a large number library. <grin> (I've always wanted one LOL.)
>

1.79769313486232E+308 = ((2^971) * ((2^53)-1)) = 179769313486231570814527423731704356798070567525844996598917476803157260780028538760589558632766878171540458953514382464234321326889464182768467546703537516986049910576551282076245490090389328944075868508455133942304583236903222948165808559332123348274797826204144723168738177180919299881250404026184124858368

>
>Here you can see the rounding problem:
>

179769313486232
>1797693134862315

>
>So... the ToString() value actually does exceed the max.
>
>That was fun.

No it wasn't ! I had to buy a bigger monitor :-}