Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!yale!mintaka!spdcc!spt!mdc
From: mdc@spt.entity.com (Marty Connor)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: StuffIt Deluxe
Summary: Public Formats for Public Data [TM]
Message-ID: <5224@spt.entity.com>
Date: 31 Aug 90 22:08:24 GMT
References: <2146@ux.acs.umn.edu> <1990Aug29.204448.23954@svc.portal.com> <5186@spt.entity.com> <1990Aug30.043630.4167@morrow.stanford.edu> <1990Aug31.170355.28215@svc.portal.com>
Reply-To: mdc@spt.UUCP (Marty Connor)
Organization: Hacks 'R' Us, Cambridge, MA
Lines: 37

In article <1990Aug31.170355.28215@svc.portal.com> leonardr@svc.portal.com (Leonard Rosenthol) writes:
>Stuffit Classic (1.6) will be, when it ships, the shareware successor
>to the currentstandard (1.5.1) - AND WILL USE THE SAME FILE FORMAT AS DELUXE!

I think it is important for people to NOT USE 1.6 *FORMAT* FOR
UPLOADING TO PUBLIC ARCHIVES until the format is available publicly
and without restrictions.  This of course means that someone probably
has to support 1.5.1 files in some other program, since Alladin
evidently will not support it.

Note that even if the format is public:

* Alladin can still make money buy writing a better program, offering
  better support, documentation, etc.  But to a spec.

* Freelance software writers can also make money (or just for fun) by
  writing to the same spec.

>I have sent a copy off to the moderators of c.b.m and we shall see
>when it arrives...   
>Leonard Rosenthol

THIS DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM in that it prevents others from writing
programs that unstuff this format without permission from Alladin.  I
will address this more completely in an upcoming message.

I have received a lot of interesting mail on this issue from people.
Thank you for your views, and I hope that you find the discussion as
stimulating as I do.  

I firmly believe that diverse viewpoints are important, and should be
heard. 

-- 
Marty Connor, Marty's Computer Workshop,  "Specializing in Macintosh Training"
126 Inman Street, Cambridge, MA 02139; (617) 491-6935
mdc@entity.com, or ...{harvard|uunet}!mit-eddie!spt!mdc