🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <961@bbkingMDC.unisys.COM> rmarks@MDC.Unisys.COM (Richard Marks) writes:
>I note that the Shareware price for pkz204c is $47.  This
>is a lot of money for a marginally better compression program.

With the usual disclaimer (I am not anyone's spokesman) the
following comment in support of PKZIP.  See the big picture.  With
the execption that they bludered badly with the beta testing, the
new PKZIP is a fast and useful compressor (and so certainly is arj,
and fairly so lha and zoo).  From the archive site maintainers point
of view it has a very good Unix counterpart.  That is also
important.  PKZIP is the dominant current standard.  No doubt abnout
it.  Now also I have heard from PKWare, just like Nico, that they
are working on the bugs, including at least one (feature) that no
one else has reported here save for yours truly, that is the forced
direct screen write feature.  ...  No, I have nothing on the
schedule. 

You may, and are welcome to differ, but I do not think that a
maximum compression is the most important feature in a compression
program.  Take a look at pkzip and arj in particular.  It takes much
more than tight compression to make a good compression program.  And
but for the intolerable bug situation, pkzip is a very good one.

While I will not accept accept pkz204c.exe compressed uploads to
Garbo until the new PKZIP has been essentially rectified with a
well-working, assured re-release, I have nowhere near enough reason
currently to steer away from .zip compression at Garbo.  Not by a
long shot.  If there would have been no bugs in the new PKZIP I
probably would about now be starting to think about accepting
compatible uplaods.

>I realize that pkzip is the big name in compression.  What
>would happen if Timo and Jim required a certification that
>anyone posting to their machines had a legal copy?

It is an intersting proposition to play with theoretically.  But
naturally it is not practical.  Besides such a marketing support for
one single program is out of the question in principle.  Such a task
would not sit well within an FTP archive site moderation's ideas. 
My "policing" is confined to the principles of the selection of the
programs to Garbo, and to occasional help in keeping of the CBIP and
CAM newsgroup on their assigned purpose.  But, as I said, an
interesting scenario from Richard. 

>Richard Marks

   All the best, Timo

..................................................................
Prof. Timo Salmi      Co-moderator of comp.archives.msdos.announce
Moderating at garbo.uwasa.fi anonymous FTP archives 128.214.87.1
Faculty of Accounting & Industrial Management; University of Vaasa
Internet: ts@uwasa.fi Bitnet: salmi@finfun   ; SF-65101, Finland