Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!haven!purdue!decwrl!sun!pitstop!sundc!seismo!uunet!portal!cup.portal.com!raf
From: raf@cup.portal.com (Robert A Freed)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: PKWARE "UnZIPs" New Compression Software
Message-ID: <14180@cup.portal.com>
Date: 1 Feb 89 19:56:03 GMT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 53

Phil Katz (PKWARE Inc.) is about to release the first versions of his
new file compression software for MS-DOS.  According to a bulletin
posted this week on the PKWARE BBS, the approximate release date for
the new shareware programs, PKZIP and PKUNZIP, is February 6, 1989.

Under the terms of last year's lawsuit settlement agreement with SEA
Inc., as of January 31, 1989, PKWARE may no longer distribute its
ARC-compatible programs PKPAK and PKUNPAK (PKARC and PKUNARC).
Although functionally similar to the earlier products, the new PKZIP
and PKUNZIP programs are completely redesigned.  These utilize a new
file format and improved data compression methods.

Complete technical details have been distributed to software developers
and Beta testers of the new programs.  I have received permission from
Phil Katz to post this documentation on USENET, but I'll defer to
public opinion due to the length of the material (approximately 25K
bytes of text).

The following is an excerpt from the distributed file DISCLAIM.DOC,
dated 11 Jan 1989:

> Dedication
> ----------
>
> The file format of the files created by these programs, which file format
> is original with the first release of this software, is hereby dedicated to
> the public domain.  Further, the filename extension of ".ZIP", first used in
> connection with data compression software on the first release of this
> software, is also hereby dedicated to the public domain, with the fervent
> and sincere hope that it will not be attempted to be appropriated by anyone
> else for their exclusive use, but rather that it will be used to refer to
> data compression and librarying software in general, of a class or type
> which creates files having a format generally compatible with this
> software.

For additional information contact:

     PKWARE Inc.
     7545 North Port Washington Road
     Suite 205
     Glendale, WI 53217
     Voice: 414-352-3670  (9am to 5pm Central Time)

     PKWARE BBS
     Data:  414-352-7176  (Up 24 hours)
     300/1200/2400 Baud, MNP class 5 available
     8 Data bits, No parity, 1 Stop bit

DISCLAIMER:  I have no association with Phil Katz and/or PKWARE Inc.,
except as an enthusiastic supporter of the new ZIP file format.

Robert A. Freed                     raf@cup.portal.com
Newton Centre, MA                   ...!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!raf