int binary_search(char *items, int count, char key)
{
int low, high, mid;
low = 0; high = count-1;
while(low <= high) {
mid = (low+high)/2;
if(key < items[mid]) high = mid-1;
else if(key > items[mid]) low = mid+1;
else return mid; /* found */
}
return -1;
}