allen@aurora.UUCP (Allen Poirson) (11/21/86)
Beware, new reader here! I know that uploading/downloading/mailing of Mac programs via the USENET is pretty much old hat to those already familiar with the procedures, but a new reader like myself is unable to do much without the following: 1. From the articles I've read, I know there is a mac program called BinHex to convert a binary mac file to ASCII so it may be transferred using email. Are there versions that run on a UNIX host? I have also concluded that there is a program called xbin which does the reverse conversion. I have a version which runs on a UNIX host -- are there versions that run on the mac? 2. How does PackIt/unpit(?) fit into the picture? I have successfully downloaded one program from the net, but a couple other tries were unsuccessful -- the application shows up as a generic document on the mac, and can't be used. I have seen "PackIt format" tossed around in some of the postings, and sense that this is information I need to know. 3. Are these programs marketed by any companies, or are they strictly freeware/shareware? (I don't mind freeware/shareware, but it usually doesn't come with the best documentation, does it?) Is there a source of information (such as answers to the above) which a new reader would automatically know to look at before diving into net activity? Thanks for any help you can offer, Andrew Fitzhugh NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 415-694-6282