From: asylvain@felix.filenet.com (The Chipmunk)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions
Subject: Re: What are .Z suffixed files & can I copy read-only files?
Keywords: .z ftp read-only
Date: 28 Sep 92 19:42:05 GMT
Reply-To: asylvain@fritz.filenet.com (The Chipmunk)
Organization: Foundation for the Increased Wealth of Chipmunks

Written in article <groggy.717398927@unixg.ubc.ca>
 by groggy@unixg.ubc.ca (Clive J Grogono):

: These are probably faqs listed somewhere or other, but can someone tell me
: what .Z suffixed files are, and whether or not one can "get" read-only
: files at ftp sites and if not what are they doing there?

Files with the ".Z" suffix are source code for the Zed programming
language.

This is a somewhat rare programming language, in that it tends to be
totally non-readable by anyone who hasn't spent three or four decades in
intense study of its particulars.  In this day and age, where folks get
bored of any subject requiring more than 2 minutes of attention, there
are obvious disadvantages.

However, to the well-versed Zed-programmer, the advantages are clear.
Unfortunately, you must already be a Zed-programmer to realize what 
they are.

Files with the "read-only" flag set can not be "gotten."  In order to
"get" a file, it must have the "get" access bit set.  This can be
determined (in Unix) by taking a long listing (ls -l) of the files in
question.  For example:

-rwxr-xr--  1 root        45056 Oct 19  1988 /bin/lst

Notice the "rwx" tuple, followed by a "r-x" and "r-x".  This means that
only the "root" user, the owner, may "w"rite to this file.  Others in
"root's" group (branches, trunks, leaves, etc.) may "r"ead or e"x"ecute
this file.  Others NOT in "root's" group (dogs, cats, birds, etc.) may
only "r"ead this file.

Now, for you to "get" this file, you must determine first what group you
are in.  Are you a "root?"  If so, you must use the first tuple.  Are you 
a member of "root's" family?  Are you in "root's" genus, or species?  If 
so, then you must use the second tuple.  Are you in a different city or
on a different planet from "root?"  Then you must use the third tuple.  
Are you employed by the CIA or the IRS?  Then you may use any damn tuple 
you want.  In fact, you probably knew the information contained therein
before "root" did.

Once you've determined what tuple you belong to, if you wish to "get" a
file, look for the "get" access bit.  That would determined by a "g," as
in:

-rwxg-xr--  1 root        45056 Oct 19  1988 /bin/lst
    ^

Notice that only "root's" relatives can "get" this file.  Others may
only read it.

There is a very simple reason that an FTP site would place a file in its
public directories with "read-only" access, without "get" access.  This
is a very old story, commonly known as "snootyness."  That is, they allow
you to "read" the file so you can see how great it is and what a wonderful,
well-connected FTP site they have, but you can not "get" it.  It's their 
unconscious way of compensating for some perceived deficiency on their 
part, such as, for example, Ross Perot trying to make up for being short.

(PS ... if you believed even one word of this, please e-mail me 
your snail-mail address and telephone number, so I can refer you 
to a qualified therapist.)

-- 
The Chipmunk.
Opinions are mine, void where prohibited, taxed, licensed or regulated.
While money doesn't buy love, it puts you in a great bargaining position.
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions