public class Compare
  {
  //*******************************************//
  // Compare the two Objects, X and Y:         //
  // a numeric comparison if both are Number   //
  // instances, and String comparison otherwise//
  // Returns true if X is `less than' Y        //
  //*******************************************//
  public static boolean IsBefore ( Object X, Object Y)
    {
    double xv, yv;
    if ( (X instanceof Number) && 
           (Y instanceof Number) )
      {
      xv = Double.valueOf(X.toString()).doubleValue();
      yv = Double.valueOf(Y.toString()).doubleValue();
      return (xv<yv);
      }
    else
      {
      return ( (X.toString()).compareTo(Y.toString()) < 0);
      };
    }
  }