Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!iscuva!carlp
From: carlp@iscuva.ISCS.COM (Carl Paukstis)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: Re: ZOO/ARC Discussion
Message-ID: <1424@iscuva.ISCS.COM>
Date: 2 May 88 14:17:09 GMT
References: <827@uvm-gen.UUCP> <21371@amdcad.AMD.COM>
Organization: ISC Systems Corporation, Spokane, WA
Lines: 36
Keywords: Zoo Arc
Summary: Let's MAKE zoo the standard

In article <21371@amdcad.AMD.COM> phil@amdcad.UUCP (Phil Ngai) writes:
>In article <827@uvm-gen.UUCP> opergb@uvm-gen.UUCP (Gary Bushey) writes:
>>A run a small PD Software library and am rebuilding it using compressed an/or
>>crunched format.  I was wondering if I should use Zoo or Arc and which version
>>to accomplish this.  Which one is going to become the one used in 
>>comp.binaries.ibm.pc?
>
>My understanding is that zoo can handle directories and arc can't.  If
>that is true, it would seem zoo is preferable. Some may say arc is
>more standard, but since self extracting zoo binaries can be created,
>there shouldn't be any one who can't use a zoo posting. 
>

Zoo is inherently a better system.  I does indeed handle the directory
structure, which is a feature taken much too lightly by many who argue for
ARC.  It also includes comment facilities for the archive and for the
individual files.

If you're starting your own PD software library, you should definitely use
zoo.  The ARC system is too limiting for complex software that must reside
in several directories.  
 
I tend to think that c.b.ibm.pc should use zoo also, but I seem to be
outvoted.  Those who object apparently don't have zoo for their favorite
host system, and want to use ARC to look at files before downloading to
their home systems.  This is the only semi-rational argument I have seen to
use ARC as the standard.  And it's not that rational - it's EASY to get ZOO
for your host system (OK, maybe not for IBM mainframes or some such, but
any UNIX system, I think.  And I'll bet Mr. Dhesi would work something out
for the tru-bluers.)

-- 
Carl Paukstis    +1 509 927 5600 x5321  |"I met a girl who sang the blues
                                        | and asked her for some happy news
UUCP:     carlp@iscuvc.ISCS.COM         | but she just smiled and turned away"
          ...uunet!iscuva!iscuvc!carlp  |                    - Don MacLean