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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!rutgers!sri-spam!sri-unix!hplabs!sdcrdcf!trwrb!orion!aden
From: aden@orion.UUCP (Gerald M. Aden)
Newsgroups: net.sources.bugs
Subject: Re: net.sources format request
Message-ID: <32@orion.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 6-Nov-86 11:30:12 EST
Article-I.D.: orion.32
Posted: Thu Nov  6 11:30:12 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 8-Nov-86 06:24:55 EST
References: <1260@hoptoad.uucp>
Organization: TRW Digital Development Laboratory, Manhattan Beach, CA
Lines: 51
Summary: In Agreement

In article <1260@hoptoad.uucp>, rdm@hoptoad.uucp (Rich Morin) writes:
> THIS IS NOT A FLAME!!! - but I do have a request to make.
> 
> I regularly scan net.sources, looking for useful goodies.  I find,
> all too often, postings of the following nature:
> 
> > Subject: posting XXX arc file, if you want XXX - here it is!!!
> >
> > ...
> >
> > Here is a copy of XXX along with documentation. You must first
> > use the uudecode on it and then use "arc" (on your pc - this was
> > arc'd with version 5.2, the command should be "arc x filename) 
> > to break it into it's components (XXX.com and XXX.doc). Good Luck. 
> >
> > ...
> >
> > begin 644 XXX.arc
> > M&@-!4TU'14XN0T]-``34DB@``"8,C:V1/@`L``#\O``!H0(`C,LKP_;$\'0%
> > MN/__ZP2Q!-/@HX,H+9XN<@4]``%S!KK9)^GH`+J2`K@C)<TAOH$`Z`4-=0/I
> > ...
> 
> I don't object to the twenty skedillion kinds of encoding that are
> being used; presumably there is a reason for them.  The author is
> to be congratulated, in fact, for delineating all the necessary
> operations for decoding the message.
> 
> I do think, however, that it would be useful to be able to find out
> what "XXX" is without performing the decoding operations, then
> (most likely) scanning through the decoded text looking for an
> illuminating comment.
> 
> I therefore suggest that authors, somewhere near the top of the
> posting, explain the nature of their offering, as:
> 
>   XXX is the famous wysiwyg defrobulator written by elmer hack, of
>   Chaotic State U.  Unfortunately, it doesn't translate PostScript
>   to anything at all.  Still, it's very useful for varplefurtzing.
> 
> The extra bandwidth required for this is small, compared to the
> typical net.sources posting.  I suspect that the payoff (in reduced
> hassle and frustration, let alone increased usage of posted code)
> would be adequate.  :-)
> -- 
> Richard Morin, proprietor	{hoptoad,leadsv,lll-lcc}!cfcl!rdm
> Canta Forda Computer Lab.	+1 415 994 6860
> Post Office Box 1488		Full spectrum consulting services
> Pacifica, CA  94044  USA	for science and engineering.


I wholeheartedly agree with this request !