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Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!super!udel!gatech!ncar!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!decwrl!sun!imagen!atari!portal!cup.portal.com!Sullivan
From: Sullivan@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.sys.amiga,comp.os.vms
Subject: Re: New public domain archiving system development
Message-ID: <9857@cup.portal.com>
Date: 8 Oct 88 07:28:19 GMT
References: <KPETERSEN.12431393020.BABYL@SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL> <1297@micomvax.
Followup-To: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Distribution: na
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
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XPortal-User-Id: 1.1001.5165

if you are taking suggestions I have a doozy:

why not let the output symbols be user defineable.  That way UNIX people
could limit them to the 95 printable ascii characters, and send them 
via Email.  Users of 7-bit machines such as Digital's DEC series computers
could limit transfers to those characters, possibly minus some control 
characters which don't easily transfer.  Put a header on each file which
includes the symbol set and voila, you would have an archive program which
doubles for UUENCODE and does so with maximum efficiency.

Other nice features to support are conversion of special symbols in file
names, defineable end of line marks (aids in bringing files to/from Un*x
from/to Mush-Dos,) file creation, last edit dates,  creator (owner), 
and especially directory structure (as an OPTION like zoo.)  I'm sure
there are others I haven't though of yet.


                           -Sullivan Segall
_____________________________________________________________

/V\  Sully set the example: to fly without moving.  We shall
 '   learn to soar on wings of thought. And the student will
     surpass the teacher.
To Quote the immortal Socrates: "I drank what?" -Sullivan
_____________________________________________________________

Mail to: ...sun!portal!cup.portal.com!Sullivan or
         Sullivan@cup.portal.com