🚀 go-pugleaf

I got my 3.0 upgrade while at MacWorld in Boston, although I am
generally pretty happy with the 3.0 upgrade (initial performance seems
to be on par with Compactor Pro 1.33!), I am pretty disappointed with
SpaceSaver. It seems it doesn't work quit as transparently as I would
want.

It doesn't do much to fool the finder, atleast the type/creator flags
are unchanged. However, the file size indicates the compressed size.
The only way to find out the uncompressed size is to do a "get info"
which sometimes forced the file to be uncompressed. 

Once an application was compressed the finder would sometimes loose
track of it. And when a document created by the application was opened,
the finder would complain that it didn't know where the application
was.

Also, rebuilding the desktop causes many applications to be
uncompressed (better make sure you have enough disk space for your
uncompressed files!).

I also seem to have had alot of applications loose their icons (ending
up with just the standard mac icon). probably as a result of desktop
info getting messedup.

Also, DiskFit Pro caused files to be uncompressed when a backup was
done, I imagine there will be a patch to DF Pro for this problem.

As a comparison to AutoDoubler (which I have been using for quite some
time), I would say that I am disappointed. I like the ability to
determine how much disk space has been saved (without uncompressing
files). I did like the fact that SS did not lock my applications, this
allowed me to NOT experience many of the incompatability problems that
plagued AD, However, decompression was slower...

Decompression times were nearly exact, AD edged out because it only
decompresses what is needed.

SS was certainly faster at compression (nearly 4 times faster from my
timings). However, it needs to be because of the behavior of SS to
decompress all files that are opened resulting in more files which will
have to be compressed when the machine in active.

Perhaps the biggest plus in my mind (although I realize not everyone
would agree) is the finder entensions that SS provides. I like the
hooks into SD 3.0 that SS addes to the finder (create an archive if
sit, expanding archive if .sea, and unarchive if the extension is
removed). They were useful and intuitive.

So, for SS, a couple of pluses, many minuses. I will keep using SS for
a little while and allow Aladdin to address their problems with the
product. However, I will most certainly stop using it when AD 2.0 comes
out (promising double the compression speed and other goodies) unless
things radically improve.

I did like SD 3.0 however! (but not a significant improvement over
Compactor Pro 1.33 as far as performance is concerned!!)

Aladdin has been very responsive in trying to figure out what the
problems are that I am experiencing, I will keep you posted on their
progress...


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                    Scott Chapman | chapman@centerline.com
              CenterLine Software | (617) 498-3230
                   10 Fawcett St. | (617) 868-6655 (FAX)
              Cambridge, MA 02138 | (Centerline was formerly Saber Software)
                                  |