/**
 * simplified version of how String.hashCode works.
 * For the actual version see src.jar java/lang/String.java
 * @return a hash code value for this String.
 */
public int hashCode()
   {
   // inside the String is a char[] val that holds the characters.
   int hash = 0;
   int len = char.length();
   for ( int i=0; i<len; i++ )
      {
      hash = 31 * hash + val[ i ];
      }
   return hash;
   }