Re: RFC: downloading info for c.s.a2 FAQ

[nathan@visi.com (Nathan Mates)]

In article <4vcrbn$i32@news.vanderbilt.edu>,
Tilghman Lesher <lesherjt@vuse.vanderbilt.edu> wrote:
>Be sure to mention that Shrinkit GS can unpack files which contain other
>suffixes and do not contain the 6-byte header noted below.  (i.e. ARC,
>Z, etc.)

   99% of the files on the official Apple II FTP sites are in .BSQ or
.SHK format. [Not counting pirate sites which purport to be "saving
disk images for people whose disks fail," but store them in formats
(.dsk.gz) unpackable on the average Apple II, and if they're unpacked
on the Apple II side, they won't fit on the 140K floppy of the average
user. In other words, these disk images are for people who _DON'T_
have Apple IIs, but run them only on emulators on other platforms.]

   This is why only those two file formats are mentioned in the
section for downloading Apple II files. At the top of what I posted
and you quoted, I noted that this was only a replacement for a limited
section of the FAQ. You'll further note that the existing c.s.a2 FAQ
has a section for net standard file formats (#10), which lists GSHK as
being able to decompress those file formats. That section of the FAQ
not one of those being replaced.

>: stuff to an Apple II disk. Macs running system 7 can write to ProDOS
>: 3.5" 800K disks.]
>Macs using PC File Exchange can r/w ProDOS disks.  System 7.1 (distributed
>with the IIsi and others) does not use PC Exchange native. 

   Tip: look for Apple File Exchange on one of the System 7.1 disks.
It can read and write ProDOS disks. Apple File Exchange is part of
System 7.0-7.49 (or whatever the last one before 7.5 was), and thus my
statement that Macs running system 7 can write to ProDOS disks is
correct. Macs unfortunately force people into the (wrong) idea that
if the finder can't do something with a disk, nothing can. 

   I do plan on writing another new section sometime soon on what
programs/ hardware on other platforms can be used to read/write Apple
II disks and what Apple II Hardware/Software can read non-Apple II
disks. In that I'd spell out in more detail how boneheaded Macs can
be.

>I'm using Lynx v.2.3.7 BETA, and it has always downloaded files in
>binary mode, even before I edited the .mime.types file.  I'm currently
>compiling Lynx 2.5 for my system, and there is no option in the config
>files.  I am guessing that lynx, therefore, always does this...

   Downloading with 'd' is reported to always force binary mode.  As I
have not taken apart the guts of lynx, I cannot tell if this is true
for all versions. Further, as the natural instinct of most people (not
knowing about the 'd' key unless they read and remembered the help
screens) is to use the right arrow to go to a file, even if it's a
download. The .mime.types helps force a save to disk, not try and
have lynx view the file.

Nathan Mates
--
<*> Nathan Mates http://www.visi.com/~nathan/      <*>
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