root@dialog.stgt.sub.org (Christian Motz) (06/02/90)
In article <ankf34.h8e@wang.com> mike@wang.com (Mike Sullivan) writes: >the subject and summary says it all... First of all I fully agree with Mike on the subject. If you must use a nonstandard encoding mechanism (i.e. one not in widespread use on UseNet), then at least show people the curtesy and post the source code for the decoder with the binary. In addition I think a lot of people would appreciate it the posters would use standard UseNet procedures for posting binaries instead of some weird methods used on other nets. Therefore, I would like to propose standardization of binary postings in the newsgroups that don't adhere to the established UseNet standards at the moment. If you have a binary to post, try compressing it with a standardized tool available on as many systems as possible. Use "compress", "zoo", "pkzip" or, if you must, "arc". These programs are available for almost all systems, so there shouldn't be a problem in unpacking them for most people. Next, "uuencode" the compressed binary. "uuencode" is probably the most commonly used binary-to-ascii-tool on UseNet (just look at most of the binary newsgroups). If you don't have a copy of the program, I am sure you can get one from a friendly UseNet administrator near you. It can be made to run on almost any machine, the source code is *VERY* portable. If the resulting file has more than 1000 lines (or, if you don' t want to count lines, 60 KBytes), split it up into multiple files. There will be a lot less problems if you do this, and might save the binary from being mangled at some sites. Most people have done this so far, but missed one small point that I would like to add -- this is also the reason why I have cross-posted this to comp.os.os2. Please create shell archives using the "shar"-utility from the split uuencoded files. The big advantage is that shar will also automatically extract the files as they were, without the need for loading the file in an editor, removing leading and trailing garbage like headers, signatures and so forth. Thus, binaries can be recreated from the postings almost automagically. This procedure is also used on almost all the binary newsgroups -- except, and this is my gripe -- on comp.binaries.os2 and here, in alt.sex.pictures. I hope that the moderator of comp.binaries.os2 and the people posting here consider this. It would make a lot of people very happy, I am sure. Thank you, readers of comp.os.os2, you may return to your regularly scheduled program :-) ... As for the people in alt.sex.pictures, I would like to make one last suggestion: let us elect GIF the file format of choice, rather than having a lot of different standards. I have an Amiga, but I would never dream of posting an IFF file, although I know there are IFF viewers for other machines. I think GIF will do just fine. But you already knew that, didn't you ;-). Thanks everyone for bearing with me up to this point ... (jd) -- Christian Motz root@dialog.stgt.sub.org
vtcqa@shamash.cdc.com ( VTC) (06/03/90)
In article <1997@dialog.stgt.sub.org> root@dialog.stgt.sub.org (Christian Motz) writes: >In article <ankf34.h8e@wang.com> mike@wang.com (Mike Sullivan) writes: >>the subject and summary says it all... > >standards at the moment. If you have a binary to post, try compressing >it with a standardized tool available on as many systems as possible. >Use "compress", "zoo", "pkzip" or, if you must, "arc". These programs >are available for almost all systems, so there shouldn't be a problem >in unpacking them for most people. Whoa - most of these pictures are GIF files, and these are already LZW compressed. You will find that some of them even get BIGGER if you try to compress them. Jeff
tom@mims-iris.waterloo.edu (Tom Haapanen) (06/04/90)
As the moderator, I suppose I'm obliged to post a reply... Christian Motz <root@dialog.stgt.sub.org> writes: > Most people have done this so far, but missed one small point that I > would like to add -- this is also the reason why I have cross-posted > this to comp.os.os2. Please create shell archives using the > "shar"-utility from the split uuencoded files. The big advantage is > that shar will also automatically extract the files as they were, > without the need for loading the file in an editor, removing leading > and trailing garbage like headers, signatures and so forth. I'm willing to do this *IF* someone provides a piece of software to do this. I can't take the time to write it myself. > This procedure is also used on almost all the binary newsgroups -- > except, and this is my gripe -- on comp.binaries.os2 and here, in > alt.sex.pictures. The posting software used in comp.binaries.os2 is courtesy of Bill Davidsen and is the exact same thing used in comp.binaries.ibm.pc. Comments from anyone else? [ \tom haapanen -- university of waterloo -- tom@mims-iris.waterloo.edu ] [ comp.binaries.os2 moderator -- submissions to os2bin@mims-iris.waterloo.edu ]
roelofs@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Ender Wiggin) (06/04/90)
tom@mims-iris.waterloo.edu (Tom Haapanen) writes: >As the moderator, I suppose I'm obliged to post a reply... > >Christian Motz <root@dialog.stgt.sub.org> writes: >> Please create shell archives using the >> "shar"-utility from the split uuencoded files. The big advantage is >> that shar will also automatically extract the files as they were, >> without the need for loading the file in an editor, removing leading >> and trailing garbage like headers, signatures and so forth. [stuff deleted] >The posting software used in comp.binaries.os2 is courtesy of Bill >Davidsen and is the exact same thing used in comp.binaries.ibm.pc. > >Comments from anyone else? Insofar as there is a standard "combine" script (at least on Unix boxes) which handles the "leading and trailing garbage" quite adequately (without the need for an explicit edit session), I for one see no particular reason to change. The only files *I* ever have to edit and clean up are shar files...(of course, there's probably an "unshar" program or something similar around here, but, well, er, I've never bothered to find out...).
IK90100@MAINE.BITNET (John H. Folkers) (06/05/90)
I first of all would like to say I agree with Christian, however I would like TONS more information on what the shar utility is and how to use it to send stuff, as well as how to use it to receive stuff from netnews. Thanks, and I think this applies to quite a few people on this group since no one has yet used this method. -JF +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | "Do not ever destroy any aspect of personality, for what you may | | think is the wild branch may be the heart of the tree." | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ Ask Me About: GIF, SUNs, PBM, MTS, SIGs, RPI, ACM, FTP, DOS, IRC, BBSes Toward more picturesque speech, refer to a thesaurus. John H. Folkers, 22 yrs, student, chef, skier, biker. ..--+ Bitnet: IK90100@MAINE.bitnet, USERGPQ8@RPITSMTS.bitnet / | Internet: IK90100@maine.maine.edu, foljh@pawl.rpi.edu / | .. | The Garden of Eden was composed | / /c of green grass, thick forests /c | ._/ c/ innocent sex and a sin worth c/ | ./- leaving for. |. Maine -----------------------------------------------------------------------
root@dialog.stgt.sub.org (Christian Motz) (06/06/90)
In article <1990Jun4.041310.15743@watserv1.waterloo.edu> tom@mims-iris.waterloo.edu (Tom Haapanen) writes: > >As the moderator, I suppose I'm obliged to post a reply... Not really, but it's nice of you anyway :-) > [My comments about posting binaries in shell archives deleted] > >I'm willing to do this *IF* someone provides a piece of software to do >this. I can't take the time to write it myself. That should be no problem. I will take the "shar" source code with me to work and compile it (shouldn't be a problem, since it is fairly portable). I will then try to get it to you, mailers willing. I will probably post it to alt.sex.pictures anyway. >The posting software used in comp.binaries.os2 is courtesy of Bill >Davidsen and is the exact same thing used in comp.binaries.ibm.pc. Seems I have been dealing with the UN*X-community too long :-) -- Christian Motz root@dialog.stgt.sub.org