From: etxfln@eos.ericsson.se (Fredric Lonngren)
Subject: Re: GAME BYTES: ARJ compression.  O.K.?
Reply-To: Fredric.Lonngren@eos.ericsson.se (Fredric Lonngren)
Organization: Ericsson Telecom AB
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 13:16:20 GMT

Hello all.
[What is now to follow is my strictly personal opinions, not necessarily
 reflecting your own.  Flame-suit on ].
Well, I think I might be the cause of all this since it was I who suggested 
Ross to switch to ARJ. I've included the post below. So at last PKWARE has
released Vapoware of the year 91: PKZIP 2. And what did we get; better comp-
ression ( only 8735 bytes compared on GB#8 ), and some new functionality that
was already in ARJ 2.30 or is implemented in the now out beta ARJ 2.39. except
all that processor mumbojumbo that don't effect compression rate or user 
functionallity. [ Heat deflectors up, sprinkler system activated ] 
If size is all that matters there is some new archiver from Sweden actually
called HPACK that does an even better job than ZIP 2.04c, but that isn't very stable
at the moment. 
For UNIX systems UNARJ source code is available. 
All in all, when counted compression rate, functionallity, reabillity and 
personal preferences : ARJ is still #1.


This was written before ZIP 2.04c (of course, since it only has been availible
for a couple of hours) so the ZIP compression values is for PKZIP 1.10.
But the rest of my opinions are still valid.

-- included mail to ross ---

I can see several reasons to switch to ARJ format.

1) Yes, it compresses better. You can even create a selfextracting
   archive that is smaller than the size you got with ZIP today
   (see below).
   The ARJ-archives are archived from all the unpacked GB-files.

--- file listing ---

 Volume in drive C is THOUGHT.BIG
 Directory of  c:\games\gamebyte.#07\arjtst\*.*

.            <DIR>     92-11-18  14.28
..           <DIR>     92-11-18  14.28
gb07-gra.zip  1197126  92-11-17  16.22 The originally distributed file
gb7_std.arj   1093731  92-11-18  14.34 GB#7 ARJ-archived, default packing mtd.
gb7_std.exe   1108509  92-11-18  14.57 Def packed, turned to std self extractor
gb7_stdj.exe  1099124  92-11-18  14.59 Def packed, turned to junior s-extractor
gb7_max.arj   1087372  92-11-18  14.42 GB#7 ARJ-archived, max packing flag set.
gb7_max.exe   1102150  92-11-18  14.57 Max packed, turned to std self exractor.
gb7_maxj.exe  1092765  92-11-18  15.01 Max Packed, turned to junior s-xtractor
   7.780.777 bytes in 10 file(s)         7.798.784 bytes allocated
   5.795.840 bytes free

-----

 ! Max size gained is 109754 bytes. That gives 168852 bytes unpacked data
   with a packing ratio of 65% that gamebyte.dat is compressed with in
   GB #7.

 o The ...std... files are packed with arjs default packing methods (quite
   good packing, fast).
     > arj a gb7_std *.*

 o The ...max... files are packed with maximum packing directives set
   (maximum packing algorithm, rather slow).
     > arj a -m1 -jm gb7_max *.*

 o The .EXE files are packed with the standard self-extracting method.
   This can hold a header showed before unpacking followed by the prompt
   "Continue extraction ?" (see ARJ-manual for more info).
     > arj a -je gb7_std *.*
     > arj a -je -m1 -jm gb7_max *.*

 o The ...J.EXE files are packed with the junior self-extracting method.
   This don't have the prompt.
     > arj a -je1 gb7_stdj *.*
     > arj a -je1 -m1 -jm gb7_maxj *.*

 ! This was done with ARJ 2.22, the most resent version is 2.30 that I don't
   have here at home (must remember to change), but I don't think the comp-
   ression rate has improved in 2.30 (could have). A 2.39beta is out
>>>>>  Have not, checked later ------------^ 
   now before the 2.40 release that have improved algorithms.

2) If you licence ARJ you will also get the ARJ-SECURITY envelope option.
    This should make you and us readers feel safe, when GB is distributed
    over the net, that nobody infects it with some evil virus.

3) If you chose to make GB selfextracting ( only costs 5400 bytes in size
   with the junior method ) you will make it much easier for those newbies
   to netting,unpacking,etc out there.

4) It's full of options, extended help screen takes 5 screens with options,
   in double column! .....
   Including multi-volume archives, test just made archives, archive label,
   execute DOS command before new volumes etc,etc,etc .... ( see manual ).
   So encouraging people to use ARJ is doing them a favor. It will do all
   you ever wanted an archiver to do, except maybe ordering pizza.
   In this version.

5) It's much like GB a NetLand product. Robert does it himself for the
   rest of us on shareware basis. Not like 'now becoming big business'
   PKWARE ( will we ever see 2.n ? ). Support those who does this for us.
   If you need a new feature thats not in there already you can always
   email to Robert (the author) an propose it. He will come back to
   you within a day with an answer.

6) I only use ARJ nowadays, and have done so for the last 1.5 year, and
   it has never crashed, destroyed anything, left me hanging etc. ever.

7) Try it yourself if you are not yet convinced. I promise you, you can be
   a believer to :).

--- end mail content of arj to ross ---

Over and out ...
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