title: bitwise-ANDing with 0xff is important?
body: <p>Doesn't bitwise-ANDing with 0xff essentially mean getting the same value back, for that matter, in this code?</p>
  
  <pre><code>byte[] packet = reader.readPacket();
  short sh;
  sh = packet[1];
  sh &amp;= 0xFF;
  System.out.print(sh+" ");
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Weirdly, I get a -1 if that ANDing is not included but a 255 when included Could someone explain the reason?</p>
  
  <p>As I see it 0xff is just 1111 1111. Isn't it?</p>