Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!caen!uwm.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!art100
From: ART100@psuvm.psu.edu (Andy Tefft)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: BinSCII and ShrinkIt GS
Message-ID: <91119.000011ART100@psuvm.psu.edu>
Date: 29 Apr 91 04:00:11 GMT
References: <20892@brahms.udel.edu> <15133@darkstar.ucsc.edu>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Penn State University
Lines: 20

In article <15133@darkstar.ucsc.edu>, unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User)
says:
>
>        If you're on a UNIX site, use SCIIBIN.. It un-BINSCIIs your files on
>UNIX for you, reducing the download time by a whole lot.

SOMETIMES.  If you are using Kermit over a 7-bit data path (because
that is the only way to transfer files over 7-bit data paths, which
some of us cannot avoid, as much as we wish we could), the 8-bit
quoting involved in downloading a binary file can DOUBLE the file
transfer time, while binscii would increase it only by about half.

Also, there are distinct advantages to downloading your files
in small chunks, especially if your transfer is likely to get
aborted. Binscii lets you do that. Then you can recombine the
files on the GS before you run them through binscii (there has
to be an easy way to join files on the GS, no?) if you want.

Also, sometimes you can use text captures on your binscii segments,
reducing your download time by a whole lot.