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.