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From: darrylo@hpsrlc.HP.COM (Darryl Okahata)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: standards is standards Re: SQUASHED!
Message-ID: <3320031@hpsrlc.HP.COM>
Date: Tue, 7-Jul-87 11:55:24 EDT
Article-I.D.: hpsrlc.3320031
Posted: Tue Jul  7 11:55:24 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 11-Jul-87 04:27:12 EDT
References: <2290@whuts.UUCP>
Organization: Network Measurements Div - Santa Rosa, CA
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In comp.sys.ibm.pc, NU013809@NDSUVM1.BITNET (Greg Wettstein) writes:

> I have been following the controversy regarding utilitzation of Phil Katz's
> program for some time now and frankly I am somewhat concerned.  This reply
> will probably entitle me to a great number of flames but I would like to come
> out in favor of Phil and his new programs.  I have had the opportunity to
[ ... ]

     First of all, the following is "constructive criticism", not a true
flame :-) :-) :-).

>      
> The incorporation of SQUASHING seems to be the primary objection which people
> have to the PK series of archival programs.  I think Phil knew this when he
> wrote PK..  and very reasonably offered command level control and environmental
> control switches to disable this if people did not like to use it.  People in
                      ^^^^^^^
     Few people seem to use the switches, from the number of Squashed .ARCs
that appear.  This problem is getting better, as newer PKARCs do not do
Squashing by default.

> general seem to have ignored this and continually complain about the presence
> of SQUASHING when it can be very conveniently disabled.  Even if a SQUASHED
> file is received by someone, considering how widespread Phil's programs are, I
> can hardly believe that anyone with enough knowledge to download a file would
					     ^^^^^^^^^
     Beginners may not always know enough to unpack a Squashed file.  After
all, if the file has a .ARC extension, the ARC program (by SEA) should be
able to de-arc it, right?  :-)

[ ... ]
> I guess my biggest concern over this whole controversy is what it says about
> the micro-computer hobby/industry as a whole.  I see the future for good public
> domain/shareware software growing dim in the light of this debate.  Everyone
> seems to concede that he wrote a fine program but there doesn't seem to be any
> reward for doing this, only condemnation and second guessing.  If the
> microcomputer industry as a whole was this afraid of change we would still be
> dosing DOS 1.0 with no pathnames, 8 sector floppies, primitive software and
> little or no graphics (EGA, CGA) capabilities.

     I think that you're getting a little carried away here :-).  No one's
arguing against progress, it is just that PKARC seems to be causing confusion
(and trouble for BEGINNERS).  Is the additional confusion worth it?  In the
case of other advances (floppies, software, etc.), the confusion and
trouble generated by the advancement was more than offset by the power,
flexibility, etc. that it offered.  Is this true of PKARC?  I haven't done
any timings myself, but, from an issue of DDJ a few month's back, I seem to
recall that PKARC was only a few percent faster (5%????) than ARCA/ARCE.
If I'm wrong, then please correct me.

[ ... ]
> Progress in any field is only achieved when individuals or concerns attempt
> to improve upon the performance of existing techniques or products.  Our
> industry and the tremendous change it has produced in society as a whole is
> the result of people striving to improve upon the standard.  If this industry
> gets the reputation of stagnation or unwillingness to change due to sheer
> stubborness or jealousy we will no longer be able to advance as we have in the
> last seven years.  I actively seek out new software and technology and I feel
> that since my job exists because of these advances my continued success will
> be due to my ability to learn new things and take advantage of the edge that
> these techniques give me in terms of increased and enhanced productivity.

     A good point, but we have to be careful that computers don't get a
reputation for being harder to use than they really are.  Imagine the
beginner who, armed with ARC from SEA (if you want him to use PKARC, you've
got to educate him -- ARC is advertised and gets much media coverage, while
PKARC does not and spreads via word-of-mouth), tries to de-arc a Squashed
file, again and again, until he finally gives up, with a taste of disgust
in his mouth.  You may think that this does not happen very often but, from
reading comp.sys.ibm.pc, I think that this probably happens more often than
we all would like.

>      
> I would like to conclude by congratulating Phil on a very fine accomplishment.
> I also hope that he continues to improve on an already fine product.
>      
>      
>                                        As always,
>                                        G.W. Wettstein
>      
>      
> The usual disclaimers apply.  These are my opinions and in no way reflect the
> opinions of the North Dakota State University Quantum Chemistry Research
> Group.
>      
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------

     -- Darryl Okahata
	hplabs!hpcea!hpsrla!darrylo
	CompuServe: 75206,3074

Disclaimer: the above is the author's personal opinion and is not the
opinion or policy of his employer or of the little green men that
have been following him all day.