diff --git a/lib/arm/instructions/call_instruction.rb b/lib/arm/instructions/call_instruction.rb
index 901bec57..ecfba3da 100644
--- a/lib/arm/instructions/call_instruction.rb
+++ b/lib/arm/instructions/call_instruction.rb
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ module Arm
       # signed 32-bit, condense to 24-bit
       # TODO add check that the value fits into 24 bits
       io << packed[0,3]
-      io.write_uint8 op_bit_code | (COND_CODES[@attributes[:condition_code]] << 4)
+      io.write_unsigned_int_8 op_bit_code | (COND_CODES[@attributes[:condition_code]] << 4)
     end
 
     def handle_swi(io)
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ module Arm
       raise "expected literal not #{arg} #{inspect}" unless (arg.is_a?(Numeric))
       packed = [arg].pack('L')[0,3]
       io << packed
-      io.write_uint8 0b1111 | (COND_CODES[@attributes[:condition_code]] << 4)
+      io.write_unsigned_int_8 0b1111 | (COND_CODES[@attributes[:condition_code]] << 4)
     end
 
     def to_s
diff --git a/lib/arm/instructions/compare_instruction.rb b/lib/arm/instructions/compare_instruction.rb
index 0ade309f..34b0cd33 100644
--- a/lib/arm/instructions/compare_instruction.rb
+++ b/lib/arm/instructions/compare_instruction.rb
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ module Arm
       val |= shift(immediate ,                  12 + 4 + 4  + 1 + 4)
       val |= instruction_code
       val |= condition_code
-      io.write_uint32 val
+      io.write_unsigned_int_32 val
     end
 
     def instuction_class
diff --git a/lib/arm/instructions/logic_instruction.rb b/lib/arm/instructions/logic_instruction.rb
index 3683380e..cd76b26d 100644
--- a/lib/arm/instructions/logic_instruction.rb
+++ b/lib/arm/instructions/logic_instruction.rb
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ module Arm
       val |= shift(immediate ,         12 + 4 + 4  + 1 + 4)
       val |= instruction_code
       val |= condition_code
-      io.write_uint32 val
+      io.write_unsigned_int_32 val
       assemble_extra(io)
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/arm/instructions/memory_instruction.rb b/lib/arm/instructions/memory_instruction.rb
index c10ca62d..c32f56fa 100644
--- a/lib/arm/instructions/memory_instruction.rb
+++ b/lib/arm/instructions/memory_instruction.rb
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ module Arm
       val |= shift(1, 24) #pre_post index , not used
       val |= instruction_code
       val |= condition_code
-      io.write_uint32 val
+      io.write_unsigned_int_32 val
     end
     def get_operand
       return @operand unless  @right
diff --git a/lib/arm/instructions/move_instruction.rb b/lib/arm/instructions/move_instruction.rb
index 1cfd1aed..2629b51b 100644
--- a/lib/arm/instructions/move_instruction.rb
+++ b/lib/arm/instructions/move_instruction.rb
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ module Arm
       val |= shift(immediate ,          12 + 4 + 4  + 1 + 4)
       val |= instruction_code
       val |= condition_code
-      io.write_uint32 val
+      io.write_unsigned_int_32 val
       # by now we have the extra add so assemble that
       @extra.assemble(io) if(@extra) #puts "Assemble extra at #{val.to_s(16)}"
     end
diff --git a/lib/arm/instructions/stack_instruction.rb b/lib/arm/instructions/stack_instruction.rb
index 1771dbaf..850810b8 100644
--- a/lib/arm/instructions/stack_instruction.rb
+++ b/lib/arm/instructions/stack_instruction.rb
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ module Arm
       val = val | (pre_post_index <<      16 + 4 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1)#24
       val = val | instruction_code
       val = val | (cond <<                16 + 4 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2)
-      io.write_uint32 val
+      io.write_unsigned_int_32 val
     end
 
     def cond
diff --git a/lib/elf/object_file.rb b/lib/elf/object_file.rb
index b14b642b..8888bd88 100644
--- a/lib/elf/object_file.rb
+++ b/lib/elf/object_file.rb
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ module Elf
 
       string_table = write_string_table(io)
 
-      io.write_uint16 @sections.length # section header count
+      io.write_unsigned_int_16 @sections.length # section header count
 
-      io.write_uint16 @sections.length-1 # section name string table index
+      io.write_unsigned_int_16 @sections.length-1 # section name string table index
 
       section_data = write_sections(io)
 
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ module Elf
       write_section_data(section_data, string_table , io)
 
       io.seek sh_offset_pos
-      io.write_uint32 sh_offset
+      io.write_unsigned_int_32 sh_offset
     end
 
     def write_string_table(io)
@@ -53,23 +53,23 @@ module Elf
       section_data.each { |data|
         section, offset, size = data[:section], data[:offset], data[:size]
         # write header first
-        io.write_uint32 string_table.index_for(section.name)
-        io.write_uint32 section.type
-        io.write_uint32 section.flags
-        io.write_uint32 section.addr
+        io.write_unsigned_int_32 string_table.index_for(section.name)
+        io.write_unsigned_int_32 section.type
+        io.write_unsigned_int_32 section.flags
+        io.write_unsigned_int_32 section.addr
         if (section.type == SHT_NOBITS)
           raise 'SHT_NOBITS not handled yet'
         elsif (section.type == SHT_NULL)
-          io.write_uint32 0
-          io.write_uint32 0
+          io.write_unsigned_int_32 0
+          io.write_unsigned_int_32 0
         else
-          io.write_uint32 offset
-          io.write_uint32 size
+          io.write_unsigned_int_32 offset
+          io.write_unsigned_int_32 size
         end
-        io.write_uint32 section.link
-        io.write_uint32 section.info
-        io.write_uint32 section.alignment
-        io.write_uint32 section.ent_size
+        io.write_unsigned_int_32 section.link
+        io.write_unsigned_int_32 section.info
+        io.write_unsigned_int_32 section.alignment
+        io.write_unsigned_int_32 section.ent_size
       }
     end
 
@@ -85,26 +85,26 @@ module Elf
     end
 
     def write_header(io)
-      io.write_uint32 0 # section header table offset
-      io.write_uint32 0 # no flags
-      io.write_uint16 52 # header length
-      io.write_uint16 0 # program header length
-      io.write_uint16 0 # program header count
-      io.write_uint16 40 # section header length
+      io.write_unsigned_int_32 0 # section header table offset
+      io.write_unsigned_int_32 0 # no flags
+      io.write_unsigned_int_16 52 # header length
+      io.write_unsigned_int_16 0 # program header length
+      io.write_unsigned_int_16 0 # program header count
+      io.write_unsigned_int_16 40 # section header length
     end
 
     def write_preamble(io)
       io << "\x7fELF"
-      io.write_uint8 @target[0]
-      io.write_uint8 @target[1]
-      io.write_uint8 EV_CURRENT
-      io.write_uint8 @target[2]
+      io.write_unsigned_int_8 @target[0]
+      io.write_unsigned_int_8 @target[1]
+      io.write_unsigned_int_8 EV_CURRENT
+      io.write_unsigned_int_8 @target[2]
       io << "\x00" * 8 # pad
-      io.write_uint16 ET_REL
-      io.write_uint16 @target[3]
-      io.write_uint32 EV_CURRENT
-      io.write_uint32 0 # entry point
-      io.write_uint32 0 # no program header table
+      io.write_unsigned_int_16 ET_REL
+      io.write_unsigned_int_16 @target[3]
+      io.write_unsigned_int_32 EV_CURRENT
+      io.write_unsigned_int_32 0 # entry point
+      io.write_unsigned_int_32 0 # no program header table
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/elf/stream_reader.rb b/lib/elf/stream_reader.rb
index f5c23849..0b0c374a 100644
--- a/lib/elf/stream_reader.rb
+++ b/lib/elf/stream_reader.rb
@@ -5,19 +5,19 @@ module StreamReader
     return ret if ret.word_length > 1
     return ret[0]
   end
-  def read_uint32(n=1)
+  def read_unsigned_int_32(n=1)
     return read_binary(4,n,'L')
   end
-  def read_uint16(n=1)
+  def read_unsigned_int_16(n=1)
     return read_binary(2,n,'S')
   end
-  def read_uint8(n=1)
+  def read_unsigned_int_8(n=1)
     return read_binary(1,n,'C')
   end
-  def read_uint64(n=1)
+  def read_unsigned_int_64(n=1)
     return read_binary(8,n,'Q')
   end
-  def read_sint64(n=1)
+  def read_signed_int_64(n=1)
     return read_binary(8,n,'q')
   end
   def read_cstr_fixed(length)
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ module StreamReader
     return __sr_gets(0.chr)
   end
   def read_cstr_prefixed
-    len = read_uint8
+    len = read_unsigned_int_8
     return __sr_read(len)
   end
   def read_float(n=1)
@@ -36,10 +36,10 @@ module StreamReader
   def read_double(n=1)
     return read_binary(8,n,'D')
   end
-  def read_sint16(n=1)
+  def read_signed_int_16(n=1)
     return read_binary(2,n,'s')
   end
-  def read_sint32(n=1)
+  def read_signed_int_32(n=1)
     return read_binary(4,n,'l')
   end
   def read_data(len)
diff --git a/lib/elf/stream_writer.rb b/lib/elf/stream_writer.rb
index 9da277ee..20c3d5ae 100644
--- a/lib/elf/stream_writer.rb
+++ b/lib/elf/stream_writer.rb
@@ -3,22 +3,22 @@ module StreamWriter
     d = values.pack(type * values.length)
     __sr_write(d)
   end
-  def write_uint32(*args)
+  def write_unsigned_int_32(*args)
     return write_binary(args,'L')
   end
-  def write_uint8(*args)
+  def write_unsigned_int_8(*args)
    return write_binary(args,'C')
   end
-  def write_uint16(*args)
+  def write_unsigned_int_16(*args)
    return write_binary(args,'S')
   end
-  def write_sint32(*args)
+  def write_signed_int_32(*args)
     return write_binary(args,'l')
   end
-  # def write_uint64(*args)
+  # def write_unsigned_int_64(*args)
   #   return write_binary(args,'Q')
   # end
-  # def write_sint64(*args)
+  # def write_signed_int_64(*args)
   #   return write_binary(args,'q')
   # end
   # def write_cstr_fixed(str, len)
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ module StreamWriter
   #   return __sr_write(str + 0.chr)
   # end
   # def write_cstr_prefixed(str)
-  #   write_uint8(str.word_length)
+  #   write_unsigned_int_8(str.word_length)
   #   return __sr_write(str)
   # end
   # def write_str(str)
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ module StreamWriter
   # def write_double(*args)
   #   return write_binary(args,'D')
   # end
-  # def write_sint16(*args)
+  # def write_signed_int_16(*args)
   #   return write_binary(args,'s')
   # end
   # def write_data(str)
diff --git a/lib/elf/symbol_table_section.rb b/lib/elf/symbol_table_section.rb
index a8fa5244..5a6d597d 100644
--- a/lib/elf/symbol_table_section.rb
+++ b/lib/elf/symbol_table_section.rb
@@ -55,25 +55,25 @@ module Elf
 
     def write(io)
       # write undefined symbol
-      io.write_uint32 0
-      io.write_uint32 0
-      io.write_uint32 0
-      io.write_uint8 Elf::Constants::STB_LOCAL << 4
-      io.write_uint8 0
-      io.write_uint16 0
+      io.write_unsigned_int_32 0
+      io.write_unsigned_int_32 0
+      io.write_unsigned_int_32 0
+      io.write_unsigned_int_8 Elf::Constants::STB_LOCAL << 4
+      io.write_unsigned_int_8 0
+      io.write_unsigned_int_16 0
 
       # write other symbols
       @symbols.each { |sym|
-        io.write_uint32 @strtab.index_for(sym[0])
-        io.write_uint32 sym[1]
-        io.write_uint32 0
-        io.write_uint8((sym[3] << 4) + 0)
-        io.write_uint8 0
+        io.write_unsigned_int_32 @strtab.index_for(sym[0])
+        io.write_unsigned_int_32 sym[1]
+        io.write_unsigned_int_32 0
+        io.write_unsigned_int_8((sym[3] << 4) + 0)
+        io.write_unsigned_int_8 0
         if (sym[2])
-          io.write_uint16 sym[2].index
+          io.write_unsigned_int_16 sym[2].index
         else
           # undefined symbol
-          io.write_uint16 0
+          io.write_unsigned_int_16 0
         end
       }
     end