public int compareTo(Element other) {
if (nextLoc == null) {
if (other.nextLoc != null)
return 1; // null means no more data available, so its after any non-null position
return 0;
}
if (other.nextLoc == null) return -1; // we can get to this point only if this.nextLoc != null
return nextLoc.compareTo(other.nextLoc);
}
