🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <2103@tekig4.TEK.COM> bradn@tekig4.UUCP (Bradford Needham) writes:
>
>1) Binary transfer is complex enough as it is.  To download programs from
>the net, a user needs all of: Kermit (or similar), BinHex, and Packit (or
>UnPit).  StuffIt adds yet another protocol to the minimum set.  Why complicate
>matters?
>

I agree.  I don't mind binary transfers, but why I have to go through
so many steps and procedures sometimes really makes me wonder.
I don't agree with the point to avoid StuffIt, as net bandwidth is
a serious matter to "the powers that be".
But I think I have a suggestion that would fix the problem of having
all of those applications just to convert files.

>To authors who would write yet another binary transfer protocol for the Mac:
>There are so many fantastically useful applications that haven't been written;
>why waste your creativity rewriting those that already exist?
>

I have something for people like this to write.  When I was still in school
I had a great idea.  Write a public domain conversion program that did
BinHex and Packit in one place, plus provided routines to automatically
convert any incoming or outgoing ASCII character into another either before
or after BINHEXing.  (We had a problem with Kermit and our IBM when
I tried to BITNET a file to a VAX, the only solution was some clever
character translations before sending)  Add onto this a hot interface
and you're all set.  Maybe even provide a way to automatically combine multitple
files.   (IE, with this program you would only need your transfer software
and that would be it.  No two different conversion programs, plus a text
editor just in case you needed to strip files)  Think about it, the
BINHEX/PackIt combination is *so* common, it would be very easy to
automate the process, even detecting if PackIting (is that a word) needed
to be done. 

I was all ready to write this one, but was unable
to come up with formats for PackIt and BinHex (although that one I could
have figured out).  I'm not really in a position to write such a thing
now, but I would love to see someone do it.

>Brad Needham
  
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