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From: daven@svc.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps
Subject: Re: Compactor - A reason not to use
Message-ID: <1991Jan9.193732.13640@svc.portal.com>
Date: 9 Jan 91 19:37:32 GMT
References: <5490@crystal9.UUCP> <91003.2251393XMQGAA@CMUVM.BITNET> <1991Jan8.220654.858@spool.cs.wisc.edu>
Distribution: comp
Organization: Software Ventures
Lines: 24

In article <1991Jan8.220654.858@spool.cs.wisc.edu> elliott@veronica.cs.wisc.edu (James Elliott) writes:
>My main problem with compactor, at least as I understand the
>situation, is that the archive format is "proprietary". Too many
>people are still falling into the power-trip trap of keeping
>information secret. Granted it gives them more control over things
>that they create, but it ends up being significantly less useful to
>the rest of the world. (I believe that Stuffit Deluxe has the same
>problem).

Actually, StuffIt Deluxe falls between an open format and a closed one.
The Aladdin people will disclose the format to anyone they feel has
good reason to know. With the MAUG group on CompuServe they have placed
this information in escrow. The Aladdin people have also disclosed their
viewer, translator, and optimizer technology to various entities as well.

Compactor's author has steadfastly refused to devulge a iota of informa-
tion.


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   Dave Newman              |  daven@svc.portal.com        |  AppleLink: D0025
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