-typedef unsigned char byte[1]; /* single byte field */
-typedef unsigned char word[2]; /* 2 byte field */
-typedef unsigned char longword[4]; /* 4 bytes field */
+#ifndef WIN32
+typedef u_int8_t byte[1]; /* single byte field */
+#else
+/*
+ * the keyword 'byte' generates conflicts in Windows
+ */
+typedef unsigned char Byte[1]; /* single byte field */
+#define byte Byte
+#endif /* WIN32 */
+typedef u_int8_t word[2]; /* 2 byte field */
+typedef u_int8_t longword[4]; /* 4 bytes field */