From: ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi)
Subject: On Garbo policies and problems (was Re: A note on using PKUNZIP 2.04c
Followup-To: comp.archives.msdos.d
Organization: University of Vaasa, Finland
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 18:46:57 GMT

In article <1993Jan9.171406.1821@samba.oit.unc.edu> Alex.Strasheim@launchpad.unc.edu (Alex Strasheim) writes:
>I don't know what would be involved in making arj the new standard format
>for an ftp site like garbo, or how the net.community would respond to such
>an action.  But in the long run, I think we'd all be better off using arj
>instead of zip as a standard.  Pkware has dropped the ball.

That is a very difficult question.  More so than you even might
guess.  The internal resistance (Garbo's own) to changing is very
high.  Let me explain, while stating that I know enough of arj to
consider it a very fine product. 

1) .zip is fairly dominant on BBSes and thus a kind of a standard
for PD & shareware distribution.  And even if it weren't, a
conversion always is a hige amount of work.

2) All my numerous scripts to handle the files at Garbo are geared
to .zip.  I would have to have something up to Info-ZIP's quality
available for Unix.  That is a necessary, but far from a sufficient
condition. 

3) Although I do not ignore its significance, disk space is not a
bottleneck at Garbo at the moment.  Not physically, not
economically, even if it is far from free.  Of course there is no
guarantee that this will always be the case.  I have no problem at
the moment to even to stay with PKZIP 1.10 for the foreseeable
future. 

Anyway, the true bottleneck at Garbo is the lack of time and
manpower for handling the bulk of uploads.  The problem at Garbo in
this respect is becoming so acute that it overshadows all other
considerations.  We really are in a bind in this respect, and the
situation might affect the quality of Garbo services.  With the
exception of select files, our upload lags are up to a month.  Thus
all changes in established routines could be fatal! The fact also is
that I have consciously put quite a bust of effort to getting the
new comp.archives.msdos newsgroups going and settled.  I can't keep
that up indefinitely.  Fortunately I need not, since this has gone
very well.  In fact, all has practically gone without any problems
except for a background administrative net-hitch during the very
first week.  All this came at a very opportune time, between
semesters, and I could afford the time I have invested to this,
because I wanted to do so out of my own volition.  But I have soon
just have to go back to being more of a researcher and an accounting
prof.  As much as I like doing this, my main profession is
elsewhere.  But don't worry, or cheer :-).  I am not going away. 

Please note that this is definitely not a plea for any collective,
supportive actions for Garbo, but a simple giving of the facts at
the moment.  Actually, there is little you gentle users can do to
help in this respect (except keep organized).  This foremost a local
manpower problem. 

   All the best, Timo

..................................................................
Prof. Timo Salmi      Co-moderator of comp.archives.msdos.announce
Moderating at garbo.uwasa.fi anonymous FTP archives 128.214.87.1
Faculty of Accounting & Industrial Management; University of Vaasa
Internet: ts@uwasa.fi Bitnet: salmi@finfun   ; SF-65101, Finland