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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: <3320028@hpsrlc.HP.COM>
Date: Mon, 6-Jul-87 11:57:21 EDT
Article-I.D.: hpsrlc.3320028
Posted: Mon Jul  6 11:57:21 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 10-Jul-87 00:42:32 EDT
References: <2290@whuts.UUCP>
Organization: Network Measurements Div - Santa Rosa, CA
Lines: 49

In comp.sys.ibm.pc, w8sdz@brl-smoke.ARPA (Keith B. Petersen ) writes:

> If SEA and Vernon Buerg won't see the usefulness in the more efficient
> compression (on some files) of squash, why should we all suffer?  Who
> says SEA is the "standard"?  Since PKARC is 6 times faster than ARC and
> faster than ARCA/ARCE, why do we continue to use the slower programs?
> 
> Maybe it's because Phil Katz hasn't released the source code?  I haven't
> seen any source code released for Buerg's programs, and there has been
> no release that I know of for ARC521 source.
> 
> SEA, during the early history of ARC, revised the "standard" to include
> more efficient compression methods.  It did generate some complaints
> from users who didn't have the latest version.  I suggest that PKARC is
> no different.
> -- 
> Keith Petersen
> Arpa: W8SDZ@SIMTEL20.ARPA
> Uucp: {bellcore,decwrl,harvard,lll-crg,ucbvax,uw-beaver}!simtel20.arpa!w8sdz
> GEnie: W8SDZ
> ----------

     Is the algorithm for Squashing known (i.e., published)?  If it's
something "proprietary", then this would explain why SEA and Vernon Buerg
have not incorporated "Squash" into their programs.

     I believe that SEA "IS" the standard.  On the bulletin boards that
I've seen, and on the IBM Forums on Compuserve, programs are ARChived using
ARC-compatible techniques ONLY (i.e., NO SQUASHING).  Also, does Phil Katz
advertise?  For every copy of ARC sold through an advertisement (to someone
who can't or won't call a BBS, etc.), there is one more copy of ARC in the
world.  Is PKARC only available through BBSes and the like?  If so, then
he is at a disadvantage at making PKARC the "standard".

     I'm not trying to say that we should all use ARC instead of PKARC
(will those people, who will send me flames after reading the above two
paragraphs but before reading this one, please send them to /dev/null).  If
you want to use PKARC, fine.  However, if you do use PKARC, please disable
Squashing for the benefit of those people who don't have or don't want to
get PKARC.  I'm just saying that, for PUBLIC postings, Squashing should be
disabled.  And, yes, I DO have PKARC.

     -- 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.