Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!wuarchive!uunet!orca!javelin.es.com!pashdown
From: pashdown@javelin.es.com (Pete Ashdown)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds
Subject: Why ASC over UUENCODE?
Message-ID: <1991Feb11.230500.9590@javelin.es.com>
Date: 11 Feb 91 23:05:00 GMT
Reply-To: pashdown@javelin.sim.es.com
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp., Salt Lake City, Utah
Lines: 36


I am having a real hard time trying to see why ASC is preferred over UUENCODE.
Here are my points against ASC:

1. Bad if you are low on memory.  For example, I wanted to try out Dr. Wickes'
new modes browser.  In its ASC form, it was 5363 bytes.  I had 9K free, but
still, I had to remove a directory temporarily to download it.  Once I managed
to convert it to a binary, it was 2635 bytes.  Yes, almost half the size.  I
found that I could transfer this to and fro my machine with any conversion and
without needing to delete the original directory that I did for ASC.

2. Pain in the butt.  Again, if you are low on memory, you need to have twice
the size of the ASC'd program available.  One to store it, one to recall it
to the stack.  Isn't it much easier to UUDECODE it on the PC you are sending
it from?

3. Not a standard form of transportation.  How many times are we going to see
"Where can I get ASC?" in the future?  UUENCODE is widely available FOR ALL
PC's.  UNIX, VMS, IBM, Amiga, Atari, Mac.  I think there is even an Apple II
version available.  If not, there are versions of UUENCODE available in
BASIC.

4. How many times are we going to see a bad post of Tetris?  Wouldn't it be
nice if Andre could just send it to his machine in binary, UUENCODE it, then
post it?  Then we can UUDECODE it and make sure its valid before attempting
to mess with downloading then trying to get "SETUP" to work.  UUENCODE would
eliminate a lot of problems with sending directories of mixed objects.

That's my arguement.  I'm just throwing this out, because I'm sick of ASC and
the garbage that is associated with it.  I would like to see and end to its
use, but of course, not without the proper discussion.
-- 

 "Hi, we're 'Slaughter'.  We'd just like to say how much we love our troops."

Pete Ashdown  pashdown@javelin.sim.es.com ...uunet!javelin.sim.es.com!pashdown