Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!rutgers!ucsd!ucbvax!SFAUSTIN.BITNET!Z4648252
From: Z4648252@SFAUSTIN.BITNET (Z4648252)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Packer vs. Squish
Message-ID: <890912.10162418.032882@SFA.CP6>
Date: 12 Sep 89 16:16:26 GMT
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 60


    In keeping with the spirit of pushing the ST and its programs to
the limit or past the envelope as David Small says, evaluations of Packer 2.0
and Squish make for interesting comparisons.  Many netters have mailed me
their results and made equally negative and positive comments.  One user
even graciously sent a version of Packer that includes the file selector
box (which answered my objection to the interface).
    Conclusions (at least for now):

Packer 2.0
    1)   Output file names -- must be different than original or an abort
           occurs.
    2)   Error conditions -- will still allow SOMETHING to be written.  This
           creates time-consuming file maintenance for user as he deletes
           these unusable files.  These files are created during the
           abort condition.  Nasty...
    3)   Consistancy -- Not very consistant.  Will not allow the latest
           DCOPY shell and program to work together properly.
    4)   When Packer DOES work, it is marvelous....
    5)   Conclusion:  a program for hackers only.  Use it to push the envelope.
         It will not cause crashes on the programs that it successfully
         works with and will save significant space.

DCSquish
    1)   Output file names -- DCSquish automatically renames the original
           program name with a .xyz extender, allowing original name to be
           automatically installed on the squished file.  Note that the
           user has a choice during the process, if he so wishes to change
           anything.  In other words, he is not strapped to the process.
    2)   Error conditions -- hmmmm, nothing yet.
    3)   Consistancy -- Exceedingly consistant and predictable.
    4)   Conclusion:  though DCSquish does not shrink files quite as
         much as Packer, it does its job consistantly and predictably.

Overall conclusion for both products:

         Both Packer and DCSquish are excellent programs, one is designed
for the hacker-type who thinks nothing of spending hours to milk out an
extra K of remaining space.  The other program is more for the user who
needs something a bit more predictable, a bit more friendly, and a program
that will net in not only space savings but time savings in the installation.
         Packer requires a considerable amount of work during use due to
not all programs working with it.  If a user has several programs on a hard
drive, this could be a laborious affair.
         DCSquish is directly the opposite.  The user becomes like Opus
who can't resist the turnip twaddler.  He goes on a searching binge for
more programs to Squish.  Squish's process is that simple, that rewarding.
         Finally, just for reference's sake, not all Packed files result
in significant space savings.  Turbo ST results in the following, at least
on my ST, during this moon phase with George Bush as President:

    Squished        Crunched          Packed         Original

    26858           33531             41241          52587

         As a user, the STer really does have a choice.  Use whatever
program works for you.  As for me and my house, DCSquish is the one.  Now,
if only I could find some more files to Squish!

Larry Rymal:  |East Texas Atari 68NNNers| <Z4648252@SFAUSTIN.BITNET>