Task: Burrows–Wheeler transform
C: #include <string.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

const char STX = '\002', ETX = '\003';

int compareStrings(const void *a, const void *b) {
    char *aa = *(char **)a;
    char *bb = *(char **)b;
    return strcmp(aa, bb);
}

int bwt(const char *s, char r[]) {
    int i, len = strlen(s) + 2;
    char *ss, *str;
    char **table;
    if (strchr(s, STX) || strchr(s, ETX)) return 1;
    ss = calloc(len + 1, sizeof(char));
    sprintf(ss, "%c%s%c", STX, s, ETX);
    table = malloc(len * sizeof(const char *));
    for (i = 0; i < len; ++i) {
        str = calloc(len + 1, sizeof(char));
        strcpy(str, ss + i);
        if (i > 0) strncat(str, ss, i);
        table[i] = str;
    }
    qsort(table, len, sizeof(const char *), compareStrings);
    for(i = 0; i < len; ++i) {
        r[i] = table[i][len - 1];
        free(table[i]);
    }
    free(table);
    free(ss);
    return 0;
}

void ibwt(const char *r, char s[]) {
    int i, j, len = strlen(r);
    char **table = malloc(len * sizeof(const char *));
    for (i = 0; i < len; ++i) table[i] = calloc(len + 1, sizeof(char));
    for (i = 0; i < len; ++i) {
        for (j = 0; j < len; ++j) {                        
            memmove(table[j] + 1, table[j], len);
            table[j][0] = r[j];
        }
        qsort(table, len, sizeof(const char *), compareStrings);
    }
    for (i = 0; i < len; ++i) {
        if (table[i][len - 1] == ETX) {
            strncpy(s, table[i] + 1, len - 2);
            break;
        }
    }
    for (i = 0; i < len; ++i) free(table[i]);
    free(table);
}

void makePrintable(const char *s, char t[]) {
    strcpy(t, s);
    for ( ; *t != '\0'; ++t) {
        if (*t == STX) *t = '^';
        else if (*t == ETX) *t = '|';
    }
}

int main() {
    int i, res, len;
    char *tests[6], *t, *r, *s;
    tests[0] = "banana";
    tests[1] = "appellee";
    tests[2] = "dogwood";
    tests[3] = "TO BE OR NOT TO BE OR WANT TO BE OR NOT?";
    tests[4] = "SIX.MIXED.PIXIES.SIFT.SIXTY.PIXIE.DUST.BOXES",
    tests[5] = "\002ABC\003";
    for (i = 0; i < 6; ++i) {
        len = strlen(tests[i]);
        t = calloc(len + 1, sizeof(char));
        makePrintable(tests[i], t);
        printf("%s\n", t);
        printf(" --> ");
        r = calloc(len + 3, sizeof(char));
        res = bwt(tests[i], r);
        if (res == 1) {
            printf("ERROR: String can't contain STX or ETX\n");
        }
        else {
            makePrintable(r, t);
            printf("%s\n", t);
        }
        s = calloc(len + 1, sizeof(char));
        ibwt(r, s);
        makePrintable(s, t);
        printf(" --> %s\n\n", t);
        free(t);
        free(r);
        free(s);
    }
    return 0;
}

C#: using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;

namespace BurrowsWheeler {
    class Program {
        const char STX = (char)0x02;
        const char ETX = (char)0x03;

        private static void Rotate(ref char[] a) {
            char t = a.Last();
            for (int i = a.Length - 1; i > 0; --i) {
                a[i] = a[i - 1];
            }
            a[0] = t;
        }

        
        private static int Compare(string s1, string s2) {
            for (int i = 0; i < s1.Length && i < s2.Length; ++i) {
                if (s1[i] < s2[i]) {
                    return -1;
                }
                if (s2[i] < s1[i]) {
                    return 1;
                }
            }
            if (s1.Length < s2.Length) {
                return -1;
            }
            if (s2.Length < s1.Length) {
                return 1;
            }
            return 0;
        }

        static string Bwt(string s) {
            if (s.Any(a => a == STX || a == ETX)) {
                throw new ArgumentException("Input can't contain STX or ETX");
            }
            char[] ss = (STX + s + ETX).ToCharArray();
            List<string> table = new List<string>();
            for (int i = 0; i < ss.Length; ++i) {
                table.Add(new string(ss));
                Rotate(ref ss);
            }
            table.Sort(Compare);
            return new string(table.Select(a => a.Last()).ToArray());
        }

        static string Ibwt(string r) {
            int len = r.Length;
            List<string> table = new List<string>(new string[len]);
            for (int i = 0; i < len; ++i) {
                for (int j = 0; j < len; ++j) {
                    table[j] = r[j] + table[j];
                }
                table.Sort(Compare);
            }
            foreach (string row in table) {
                if (row.Last() == ETX) {
                    return row.Substring(1, len - 2);
                }
            }
            return "";
        }

        static string MakePrintable(string s) {
            return s.Replace(STX, '^').Replace(ETX, '|');
        }

        static void Main() {
            string[] tests = new string[] {
                "banana",
                "appellee",
                "dogwood",
                "TO BE OR NOT TO BE OR WANT TO BE OR NOT?",
                "SIX.MIXED.PIXIES.SIFT.SIXTY.PIXIE.DUST.BOXES",
                "\u0002ABC\u0003"
            };

            foreach (string test in tests) {
                Console.WriteLine(MakePrintable(test));
                Console.Write(" --> ");

                string t = "";
                try {
                    t = Bwt(test);
                    Console.WriteLine(MakePrintable(t));
                } catch (Exception e) {
                    Console.WriteLine("ERROR: {0}", e.Message);
                }

                string r = Ibwt(t);
                Console.WriteLine(" --> {0}", r);
                Console.WriteLine();
            }
        }
    }
}