Xref: utzoo comp.sys.ibm.pc:19760 comp.sys.amiga:23337 comp.os.vms:9070 Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!super!udel!princeton!njin!rutgers!apple!bionet!ig!uwmcsd1!lakesys!mikes From: mikes@lakesys.UUCP (Mike Shawaluk) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.sys.amiga,comp.os.vms Subject: Re: New public domain archiving system development Summary: PD format, *not* PD software... Message-ID: <1068@lakesys.UUCP> Date: 29 Sep 88 18:54:16 GMT References:<1297@micomvax.UUCP> <3218@ttidca.TTI.COM> Reply-To: mikes@lakesys.UUCP (Mike Shawaluk) Followup-To: comp.sys.ibm.pc Organization: Lake Systems - Milwaukee, WI Lines: 68 In article <3218@ttidca.TTI.COM> troeger@ttidcb.tti.com (Jeff Troeger) writes: >In article <1297@micomvax.UUCP> ray@micomvax.UUCP (Ray Dunn) writes: >>Should I go back to playing in my sandbox? >> >>product (the above is not the only posting)? >> >>Hmm, a last time. Am I playing with the wrong playmates?? > >Keith is not promoting a commercial product, but instead a FREE PUBLIC >DOMAIN PROGRAM INCLUDING SOURCE AND FILE FORMATS! SIMTEL20's reasoning >has been stated several times and if you want to find them out, I'm sure >Keith will be more than willing to give you an abridged version that even >you can read. > > Jeff Troeger At the risk of adding more confusion to this conversation, I'd like to try to clarify some of the statements being made here. My "credentials", as is were, are that I am one of the principals being paid (as in $$) to develop the new file R-kiving (had to avoid spelling the "A" word there :-) utility for PKWARE, (a.k.a. Phil Katz). As has already been said/summarized/inferred here and elsewhere, Phil is developing a new and improved file collection, compression, management, and whatever-else-makes-sense-in-that-context program, to be available initially for three major program environments; MS-DOS (including IBM PC's and non-PC's, such as TI Pro's, Tandy 2000's, and other such systems), the Commodore Amiga family (A500, A1000, A2000), and the DEC VAX/VMS environment; I happen to be the individual who's developing/porting the VAX/VMS version. All of these platforms will utilize the same basic file format, with some capabilities to address features or peculiarities of those environments, but in a way which is hopefully sideways compatible with the other systems. For example, the Amiga and VMS allow for longer file names than MS-DOS, and VMS has a plethora of file/record types, so there will be provisions in the file format for handling this type of information; however, the extractor which can't use this information will have the option/ability to ignore (or at least properly handle) this extraneous information, to allow for extracting/viewing R-kive contents on machines other that those on which they were created. In any event, I feel it would be safe to say that the primary work of this project is *NOT* to produce products which are "free" or "public domain", since all of us who are working on the project are being reimbursed for our time and efforts; however, I believe I can speak for Phil in saying that the format itself, as well as example freely-distributable code, *WILL* be made available and placed in the public domain, to allow other sources to embrace and use this format to serve their needs. This is, of course, in contrast with the policies of another company (hint: name starts with an "S" and ends with an "A"), who has been resorting to lawsuits to prevent others from using its precious file format without their approval... In conclusion, I would welcome any feedback, constructive or otherwise, in regard to this project. Please respond via the appropriate newsgroup or via email, at your preference (I regularly monitor all of the above cross-posted newsgroups *AND* my mail). - Mike Shawaluk **DISCLAIMER** The above comments do not necessarily represent those of Phil Katz or PKWARE, although they probably aren't too far off of dead center.