Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!oliveb!amdahl!rtech!cpsc6a!crs
From: crs@cpsc6a.att.com (Chris (I'm a programmer, not a Doctor!!) Seaman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: PKZip Amiga arrives
Message-ID: <2373@cpsc6a.att.com>
Date: 15 Jan 90 19:21:12 GMT
References: <1990Jan11.062433.27699@i-core.UUCP> <X#P|M*@rpi.edu>
Organization: AT&T (CPSC), Oakland, CA
Lines: 49

kudla@pawl.rpi.edu (Robert J. Kudla) writes:
< (Pete Ashdown) writes:
< -> What is really nice about it is the fact that the whole thing is
< -> intuitionized, which IMHO makes it a better program than all the other
< -> compressors combined.  Its interface looks GOOD too!  No standard slop
< -> windows here.  Everything has a NeXTish look to it.  It also has online help
< -> and a pallette control.  I think it blows the MS-DOS version away.
< 
< Seriously though, I think PKZip Amiga sucks. It's 80k, has no command
< line usage, opens up a custom screen with custom resolution and custom
< colors, is quite slow, crashes almost invariably on large files,
< doesn't multitask well, and is getting heavy attention from the novice
< users on the local BBSes (they want everyone to use it because it's
< "so easy, how could you not like it?"). 

It hase been working OK for me.  The custom screen is not a major problem,
as I don't leave the program running all the time.  It is slow in
implode mode, though still faster than LHArc (with comparable compression),
but it is quite fast (faster than Zoo) in Shrink mode, but still gives
compression as good as Zoo.  It SHOULD be getting a lot of novice attention,
since that was the main reason for providing an intuition interface.
My brother couldn't remember the Zoo syntax to save his life, but I
guarantee he will know how to use PKAZip.  I admit the lack of CLI
support is a problem, but it should appear in the next version.

There are a lot of Amiga users out there who don't know (or want to know)
about the CLI, and I think it's about time a good archiver was made
available to them.

< It pains me to say this, but I'd rather use Arc.

I'd rather not archive than have to use Arc. :-)

< I tossed arc long ago and now only keep pkax around. I avoid LHARC if
< possible already. My archiver of choice till something faster with
< decent compression and a simple interface comes out is Zoo. Works on
< my Amiga, works on Unix. Fine with me....
< -- 
< Robert Jude Kudla  <kudla@pawl.rpi.edu>

PKAZip has a simple interface (what could be simpler than Intuition?),
decent compression (at least as good as Zoo in shrink mode), and is
30-40% faster than Zoo in shrink mode.  What more could you want? :-)

-- 
Chris (Insert phrase here) Seaman |  /|__|\__/|__|\
crs@cpsc6a.att.com <or>           | |              |     Where does he get
...!att!cpsc6a!crs                | |  /\/\  /\/\  |   those Wonderful toys?
The Home of the Killer Smiley     |  \|    \/    |/